Core Focus DPT

Today marks my 19th day of my 75 Hard Challenge, and I’m starting to notice something incredible—making sure all my new habits are completed is beginning to feel less effortful. Despite the rain this morning disrupting my normal routine, shifting my habits around felt almost automatic.

My brain seemed to already know what to do, likely because I’ve encountered similar disruptions before. Through repeated practice, my brain has adapted, and executing these actions now requires little extra thought.

Paving the Path for Change

This experience reflects the amazing concept of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to form new pathways and make habits automatic over time.Our brains are “plastic,” meaning they have the ability to adapt and reorganize themselves by forming new neural connections. This phenomenon, known as neuroplasticity, allows the brain to change throughout our lives in response to learning, experience, and even injury. Because of neuroplasticity, we can create “superhighways” in our brains—strong, automatic neural pathways—by repeatedly practicing new habits.

A new habit begins as a grassy path through a meadow—barely noticeable and easy to lose sight of. With repeated use, this path gets worn down into a dirt trail, making it easier to find and navigate, though it may still take effort to traverse. As you continue to use this path more frequently, it becomes smoother and eventually transforms into a paved road. With consistent practice and reinforcement, that road widens into a superhighway—a strong, efficient neural pathway that makes the habit automatic and effortless.

Natural Resistance to Change

By nature, however, our brains and bodies resist the effort it takes to build those superhighways. We are wired to conserve energy, seeking comfort, ease, and convenience. Energy is precious, and our natural inclination is to save it for a “rainy day.” This means we’re often reluctant to complete the actions or invest in the effort required to develop new habits. It’s not the process itself that appeals to us—it’s the outcome, the promise of what we desire to achieve, that drives us forward.

Building those superhighways takes work and sacrifice, much like paving a road through rough terrain. At first, the effort feels enormous—trudging through grassy lanes and carving out the path requires time, energy, and perseverance. But once the superhighway is built, the journey becomes far easier and less exhausting than it would have been had we continued to rely on footpaths.

Choosing the Road Less Traveled

The challenge is finding the motivation to even begin, especially when what we already have feels “good enough.” Often, though, good enough is just the easy way out—a compromise rooted in comfort, not growth. Choosing the road less traveled requires sacrifice. It demands that we push past the discomfort of change and step into the unknown.

In my Bible study, I recently read through parts of Revelation, and it reminded me that the road less traveled is often scary, lonely, and often requires sacrifice. Choosing growth over ease isn’t just about physical habits—it’s about a total transformation of the heart and mind. Sometimes, we need to renew ourselves fully to prepare for the rough terrain ahead, but the blessings waiting at the journey’s end make the effort worthwhile.

The process of building superhighways in your brain may be challenging, but the rewards are nothing short of extraordinary. As I’ve experienced, with time, effort, and faith, those small, daily actions begin to feel natural, and the potential for growth becomes limitless.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences, comment below!

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** The views and opinions expressed on this site belong to Vigeo Ergo Consulting LLC. Any advice or suggestions offered herein are not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or other healthcare professional. My blogs are for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.