From the Front Porch
The other day I was sitting in the airport with a Dr. Pepper.
First one of the trip. Wouldn't be the last.
And I was pissed at myself about it.
You want to know what's wild? I've given up so much. Alcohol. Junk food. Late-night eating. Mindless scrolling before bed. I've cut things out of my life that were way harder than this.
But this? This one keeps winning.
Every morning I tell myself: Today's the day. No soda. Just water. Clean slate.
And I mean it. I really do.
Then afternoon hits. I'm tired. I've been working for hours. My brain is fried. And that voice starts: "One Dr. Pepper won't hurt. You've been good all week. You've given up everything else. This one thing? It's fine."
So I grab one. And it's not just one. Because once I have that first sip, it's over. I'll have three more before the day ends.
Then I'm back at my desk at night, looking at the empty cans, thinking: "Tomorrow. I'll start fresh tomorrow."
You ever have that one thing you just can't let go of? The thing you've quit a hundred times but keep coming back to?
I've beaten bigger demons than this. I know I have. So why does this one keep pulling me back?
Here's what I've figured out: It's not about the soda.
It's about the deal I made with myself. "I've given up ten bad habits. Keeping one should be fine. I can't be perfect."
And that sounds reasonable, right? One bad habit out of eleven isn't bad.
Except that's not how it works.
Because the thing you refuse to let go of? That's the thing that has the most power over you.
It's not the big stuff that keeps you stuck. It's the one small thing you've convinced yourself doesn't count.
A Hard Truth
The thing you won't let go of owns you more than the things you already quit.
You think keeping one bad habit is compromise. It's not. It's surrender.
Because that "one thing" becomes the proof that you can't finish what you started. It's the exception that becomes the rule. The crack that becomes the break.
"I've given up so much, this one's fine" sounds like balance. But it's really just permission to stay stuck.
You know what the pull back to comfort sounds like? "Just this once. You've earned it. It doesn't count. Tomorrow."
That voice doesn't get quieter when you give in. It gets louder.
The thing you justify keeping? That's the thing running your life.
And you can't build a new version of yourself while clinging to the old one's favorite excuse.
Today's Shift
The Last Thing Framework:
The thing you're justifying? That's your tell. That's where the real work is.
Step 1: Name the Deal You Made
What's the bargain you struck with yourself? "I've given up X, so keeping Y is fine."
Write it down. Look at it. See it for what it is: permission to stay stuck.
Step 2: Ask the Real Question
Not "Can I keep this one thing?"
Ask: "Why am I fighting so hard to keep this?"
If it's really "not that bad," why can't you let it go? Why does the thought of giving it up feel like losing something?
That answer tells you everything.
Step 3: Make It Binary
Stop negotiating. Stop with "just one" or "only on weekends" or "after I've been good."
You're either choosing it or you're not. There's no middle ground with the thing that has power over you.
The pull back to comfort is loudest for the thing you refuse to release.
So release it. Not tomorrow. Today.
What's Next
Tomorrow: The Unglamorous Middle. You've made the choice. You're resisting the pull back. Now comes the part nobody talks about: the boring, unsexy stretch between choosing and results. This is where most people quit. We're not quitting.
Bottom Line
I'm still fighting the Dr. Pepper. Some days I win. Some days I don't.
But I'm done pretending it doesn't count just because I've given up other things.
The thing you won't let go of? That's the thing keeping you from becoming who you said you wanted to be.
Let it go. Not tomorrow. Today.
— Damien
