Most of us don’t need a reminder on how to ride a bike. It’s natural and automatic.
It’s muscle memory.
However, unlike breathing, which is done subconsciously from birth, riding a bike is a learned skill, and that distinction is important.
It’s an activity that, at one point, we found hard and awkward. But with time and effort, it became natural and part of our subconscious.
So if we have a formula for turning hard things into automatic actions, why should we stop at cycling?
What if we worked to develop muscle memory in other parts of our lives?
What about active listening? Rather than thinking up a reply while the other person is talking, we focus with intent on what they are trying to say.
What about asking “Why?” when faced with a complicated problem? Rather than jumping straight into solution mode, we first pause and seek to understand why we’re in our current situation before we act.
What about a daily gratefulness practice? Rather than ploughing through the day like we’ve got an endless supply, we take a second to be thankful for the current moment.
For me, I’ve been experimenting with muscle memory through daily blogging. It’s been two months since I started, and perhaps the biggest impact it’s had on my life is how it has forced me to be more open, attentive, and curious. It’s forced me to notice what’s going on in the world around me, and to try and share what I see in a thoughtful and generous way.
Is there a muscle memory experiment you’d like to run? I’d love to hear about your experience if you try it!