- [x] one of the most consistent findings is that the way to maintain motivation and achieve peak levels of desire is to work on task of "just manageable difficulty" - [x] The goldilocks rule states that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities, not too hard, not too easy - [x] when you're starting a new habit it is important to keep the behavior as easy as possible so you can stick with it even when conditions aren't perfect - [x] once a habit has been established though, it's important to continue to advance in small ways - [x] flow state is the experience of being "in the zone" and fully immersed in an activity - [x] you need to regularly search for challenges that push you to your edge while continuing to make enough progress to stay motivated - [x] the difference is that they still find a way to show up, despite feelings of boredom - [x] the greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom - [x] sweet spot of desire occurs at a 50/50 split between success and failure - [x] at some point everyone faces the same challenge on the journey of self-improvement: you have to fall in love with boredom - [x] but stepping up when it's annoying or painful or draining to do so, that's what makes the difference between a professional and an amateur - [x] the one way to be come excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over. You have to fall in love with boredom