Your Brain is Lazy, Use it Anyway

Spivey J

Spivey J

— 2 min read

The Power of your Anti-Vision.
→ Survival mode won’t build your future, you need something sharper.

I am that I am.
I am a behavioral change facilitator.
I live my life as evidence.
I write to show the connection between input and output.
I create an excuse-free mindset by radically habit-stacking challenges.
I reflect on what’s working (and what’s not) using the 100 Days, One You tracker and guide.

Because here’s the truth: you can’t track what you can’t measure.

Have you heard of S.M.A.R.T. goals?

It stands for:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Relevant
  • Timely

When I’m advising clients on their goals, I emphasize this framework. It’s simple, practical, and works in any area of life.

But when someone struggles, I cut right to the chase and ask them to create an anti-vision:

“Who do you not want to become?

Here’s why that works.

When someone asks, “What do you want for dinner?” it’s an open-ended question with too many possibilities. The brain gets overwhelmed by the options, something psychologists call decision fatigue or choice overload.

But if the question is, “Do you want pizza?” the brain only has to make a yes/no choice. Much easier.

This is how your brain shortcuts decisions:

  • Elimination vs. Generation → rejecting is easier than inventing.
  • Loss Aversion Bias → we notice negatives faster than positives.
  • Working Memory Limits → we can only juggle 4–7 options at once.
  • Identity & Emotion Filtering → rejecting what feels “off” is easier than naming what feels “right.”

Basically it’s a survival mechanism: the brain avoids danger quicker than it pursues reward. That’s why it’s easier to say “not that” than “this is it.”

But here’s the challenge: survival mode doesn’t build the future you want.

If you want to actualize the long-term benefits of S.M.A.R.T. goals, you’ll need to override your brain’s default programming.

That’s why I began today’s letter with who I am, because I only gained clarity after I defined who I did not want to be.

So I’ll end with a question for you:

✨ Who are you?
And if you’re not sure yet, start by writing down who you don’t want to be. You’ll be surprised at the truth it reveals.

I’d love to hear your S.M.A.R.T. goals, just hit reply and share them with me.

Peace Out, Peace In.

-Spivey J.

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