[Book Notes] The Plateau Effect

My notes on the book The Plateau Effect: Getting from Stuck to Success by Bob Sullivan.

Eight obstacles that cause plateaus:

1. Immunity.
   Our bodies and minds get acclimated to everything after doing it repeatedly enough times (e.g. gym routines, diets). Mix it up!
2. Greedy Algorithm.
   Going for the instant gratification instead of delayed gratification. Visualize long-term plans and goals, and commit to them.
3. Bad Timing.
   Your brain might just need a break. Switch to another task / hobby for just a bit.
4. Flow.
   May be missing the missing ingredient to initiate flow. Brainstorm, break up your task into smaller steps, look for creative solutions, etc, to solve the missing input to the step function.
5. Bad Data.
   Data is all about context. You may be measuring the wrong things (e.g. may not be losing weight, but it’s been made up in muscle). Always double check the context and see if it aligns with your goals.
6. Distraction.
   Stop multitasking, even if you think you can. It’s just excessive context switching. Focus on one thing at a time.
7. Failing Slowly.
   Spending too much time on one thing, when in the end it may all be for naught. Experiment and fail quickly (failures are inevitable), so that you can find what actually works for you sooner.
8. Perfectionism.
   The desire for perfectionism is usually a formula for procrastination. You may be focusing too much on the little details, instead of the broader picture (e.g. spending 80% of your time choosing a font, 20% on the rest of a graphic design). The key word we’re looking for here is satisficed: both satisfactory yet will suffice at the same time. All about energy / effort allocation.