💡 CheatCode #119: Identity First, Habits Second
Systems fail when they don’t match who you believe you are.
“You will never outperform your self-image.” — Maxwell Maltz
People chase habits like decorations — new routines, planners, and productivity hacks. But habits collapse under an identity that doesn’t believe it deserves the result.
If you think of yourself as someone trying to get disciplined, you’ll fight uphill. If you see yourself as a disciplined person, your behavior just aligns.
Before building habits, build a self-definition that supports them.
Identity is the soil — habits are the plants.
Why it works:
✅ Reframes behavior change around self-concept, not effort.
✅ Reduces internal friction (“I should” becomes “I do”).
✅ Anchors habits to permanence instead of streaks.
Today’s Challenge:
Rewrite one sentence that starts with “I’m the type of person who…” Make it describe the version of you your goals require.
Final Thought:
You don’t rise to the level of your routines — you rise to the identity that sustains them. -1% CheatCode