I have an entire system for this. It has four levels: reality, perception, choice and action. The most relevant part here is action, which has three properties and corresponding tactics.<p>1. Effort: make it easy, increase the ability to act, minimize costs, tiny steps, worth doing badly<p>2. Reward: make it attractive, increase motivation, highlight benefits<p>3. Time: make it timely<p>Time and effort discounts the value of reward, which is why we are inclined to obtain rewards as soon as possible, spending the least amount of energy.<p>While the action level is about tactical speed-accuracy trade-offs during execution, the choice level is about strategizing what to do and what not to do in the first place. Deciding the shape or scope of a project is at this level. Taking the cumulative effect (habit formation) into consideration is also at this level.<p>The perception level about realizing that we are highly affected by context (familiar and unfamiliar social, physical, mental environment) and the many ways we can shape that context to achieve what we want. Being flexible, playful are important here, and self-compassion also. The goal here is not necessarily to acquire an accurate perception of reality, but a practical one. You can see the same thing in nature, like how our vision is adapted to the color of certain fruits, or how we are innately optimistic.<p>The reality level is outside of us, we barely perceive it, let alone affect it, and yet it's the most important part of us. If the perception level is about thriving as individuals, the reality level is about trying to see the world as it is by eliminating our pesky self from the picture, realizing how temporary and fickle we are, and finding meaning outside of us. Self-sacrifice, compassion, understanding the relationship of things, even raising children, or an entire community is at this level. The reality level is about things that are bigger than us. Such realization may be brought on by disassociation, reflection or communion.