I’m colorblind.
In normal life, this is seldom an issue. I used to make the occasional faux pas by combining red and green clothes, but we’ve solved that by choosing only complementary colors for my entire wardrobe.
The rare exception happens when I’m driving at night on roads equipped with low-pressure sodium (LPS) lamps. These lamps emit a very distinct yellow-orange light, but to me, they are almost identical to a red traffic light.
I’ve noticed, however, that my brain compensates for this confusion by recognizing light patterns. An equidistant row of lights in the air signals street lighting. Anything that breaks this pattern must be a red traffic light.
This is a perfect analogy for helping yourself and others improve. The first step is to look for patterns in your own behavior.
For example, I often observe people starting their day by powering up their computer. Within minutes, they are swept into the maelstrom of responding to emails, reacting to notifications, and scrolling through social media.
To break this habit, you need what I call a pattern intervention. My favorite is to start your day by eating the frog: It’s a metaphor for tackling your most important task first — the one that truly moves the needle. On my desk, a small plastic frog serves as a daily reminder of this habit.
It works because it sets the tone for the day, anchoring your focus and momentum on what truly matters before the chaos takes over.
We build our habits, and then our habits build us.
So, here’s my question to you:
Which habitual patterns are holding you back, and what small change could create a breakthrough?
A single adjustment in your routine can dramatically change the trajectory of your results.