About this quote

Look for choices that keep returning in your thoughts, not the ones that only grab attention for a moment. Surface appeal disappears once the work begins, but options that match what you care about will keep you going on tough days. Ask yourself which option you’d still choose after a month of effort or a year of routine. Then make one small step toward that choice so you stop drifting on impulse.

When to use it

• At work: I'm offered a flashy promotion that looks great on a résumé and a smaller role where the tasks actually excite me; I choose the role that makes me want to show up.
• In college: when two majors are on the table, I drop the trendy one and take the classes I read about late at night because those keep pulling me back.
• Exercise: instead of signing up for the newest Instagram fitness craze, I pick the sport I enjoy enough to do three times a week.
• Dating: if someone is very attractive but our values clash, I step back and wait for a person who fits what matters to me.