See Tomorrow’s Patterns to Change Today’s Choices

Maya glanced at her calendar, noting another industry mixer next Thursday. She’d skipped the last three because it felt more comfortable to stay in with a book. Tonight, her gut whispered, "It’s fine to skip again." But she remembered a coaching tip: each social event is one flip in a series. Over a year, attending adds dozens of contacts; missing them costs potential partnerships.

One rainy evening, she forced herself into the whisky-tasting room. The clink of glasses and warm chatter felt awkward at first, but she stayed for the second drink. Two days later, a connection she made there led to a guest-speaking slot at a webinar. The taste of that whiskey lingered like proof: small actions compound.

Maya realized that framing each event as part of a repeating pattern changed her approach. She penned a policy: ‘‘I will attend or pitch each monthly event unless blocked by an emergency.’’ She shared it with her mentor, who texted friendly reminders.

This long-term framing—seeing choices as repeated plays—overcomes status quo bias and loss aversion. By projecting cumulative impact and future regret, you break out of old routines and steer toward consistent growth.

Next time a repeated choice feels too risky or tedious, imagine how skipping it week after week looks in a year. Then project the cumulative benefits of showing up each time. Visualize the regret you’d feel after twelve skips and use it to push past comfort. Finally, write a clear policy—like attending every event unless urgent—and share it with a peer so you stick to it. Give it a try next month’s meeting.