WEBVTT - Pave the desire paths 

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to pave the desire paths. In other words,

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<v Speaker 1>recognize how you actually live and set up your life

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<v Speaker 1>to embrace your customary choices. So, desire paths, as I

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<v Speaker 1>recently learned, are the unofficial footpaths worn by people walking them,

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<v Speaker 1>that is, by taking the route they desire rather than

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<v Speaker 1>a formal paved path. You know the look of these

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<v Speaker 1>desire paths, the warren spots and the grass, showing how

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<v Speaker 1>people actually get from the street corner to a building's entrance,

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<v Speaker 1>or how they might cross a university quad. Sometimes after

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<v Speaker 1>a building is built, wise urban or university planners will

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<v Speaker 1>wait to construct paths until they see where the desire

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<v Speaker 1>paths are, where do people actually walk. Once these desire

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<v Speaker 1>paths have been worn, the developers may lay bricks or

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<v Speaker 1>build sidewalks to formalize these choices. By paving the desire paths,

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<v Speaker 1>planners guide people on two paths that already feel attractive

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<v Speaker 1>and natural, and they avoid having official paths that people

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<v Speaker 1>reject in favor of walking on the grass or through

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<v Speaker 1>flower beds. Where their steps are kind of unwelcome. Just

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<v Speaker 1>as planners can pave the desire paths that pedestrians create,

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<v Speaker 1>we can pave the metaphorical desire paths in our own

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<v Speaker 1>lives too, by recognizing and honoring the ways of being

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<v Speaker 1>that suit us. This way, we can optimize our circumstances

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<v Speaker 1>for how we actually live. For instance, if you always

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<v Speaker 1>find yourself in front of the fireplace in the winter,

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<v Speaker 1>arrange the space so it's conducive to everything you do there.

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<v Speaker 1>Perhaps the couch is great for curling up with or

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<v Speaker 1>a book or having family time, but you may want

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<v Speaker 1>to add a table so you can use the space

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<v Speaker 1>for remote work during the day or for doing puzzles

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<v Speaker 1>in the evenings. Pave this desire path so you are

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<v Speaker 1>not hunched awkwardly on the sofa trying to work scrolling

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<v Speaker 1>instead of doing puzzles because you don't want to leave

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<v Speaker 1>the fire We can pave the desire paths with our

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<v Speaker 1>wardrobes too. If you live in jeans and sneakers, then

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<v Speaker 1>that is what you should buy, not dressy pants and heels.

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<v Speaker 1>Invest the time and money in finding good genes that

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<v Speaker 1>you really like to honor this wardrobe reality in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of time. If you have always been a night owl

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<v Speaker 1>your whole life, don't try to convince yourself that you

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<v Speaker 1>need to build an elaborate early morning routine. Instead, pave

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<v Speaker 1>the desire paths by recognizing that you will feel fine

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<v Speaker 1>exercising after work, having a later dinner, and reading into

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<v Speaker 1>the evening. Instead, build an evening routine schedule that makes

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<v Speaker 1>space for all those things that other people aim to

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<v Speaker 1>find space for in the morning. Let go of your

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<v Speaker 1>assumptions and ideas about what you ought to do. That

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<v Speaker 1>is where the official paths are supposed to be. It

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<v Speaker 1>is a waste of time and resources to pave a

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<v Speaker 1>path that no one takes. Instead, make your life conducive

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<v Speaker 1>to what you actually do, and you will create smooth

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<v Speaker 1>paths wherever you tread in the meantime. This is Laura.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you.

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<v Speaker 1>You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else.

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four then

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<v Speaker 1>email at Before Breakfast Podcast at i heeart media dot

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch.

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