I, Robot

When I was young, I thought I knew it all. Like most teenagers, I had all of the answers to everything (at least in my own mind).

I loved my father dearly, but I would tease him non-stop about being a "robot." I other words, I would goof on him for having what I considered to be a boring and routine existence. A typical day for him would consist of:

waking up early at the same time every morning

having coffee and reading the morning paper

cleaning up

going to work

coming home at the same time every day

eating dinner at the same time every night

relaxing and spending time with the family

going to bed early at the same time every night.

To my teenage mind, these simplistic routines and rituals were boring. I vowed to have a much more "exciting" life.

Little did I realize back then, human beings intrinsically crave the type of structure that my father embodied. In fact, having daily routine and rituals are vital to our existence, as they help us create meaning of the chaotic world around us. From a performance perspective, the habits that these daily routines and rituals create help us to maintain our cognitive bandwidth, thus enhancing our focus and organizational capabilities. In other words, they assist us in "clearing the browser" of our internal mechanisms, essentially clearing up more mental space for the things that are important to us.

I once had a wise person tell me that the only certainty in life is uncertainty. The Buddhist call this the Law of Impermanence. They contend that everything is always changing, and when we try to cling to these impermeant things, seeking stability, we only increase our suffering.

Now that I am older, I actively seek out the "boring things" in life. Having routines and rituals is not the same as clinging to impermanence. Rather, it is a way of creating anchors in our lives that enable us to better withstand the unexpected waves of chaos and change that often rocks our world. The older that I get, the more I realize that it is hard to beat consistency and predictability.

My endorsement for establishing structure through routines and rituals does not mean I am advocating that we shouldn't have any fun or spontaneity in our lives. It is healthy to have a semblance of work/life balance. A good mantra for this is "work hard/play hard." Any wellness expert would tell you that maintaining strong social connections is important for our wellbeing.

When I headed out to work the other day, a funny thought popped into my head, "I have become my father," as my own daily routines and rituals have rendered me to his robot status. I had to laugh to myself when I thought of what my dad would probably say about this, if he were still around, "Who is the robot now?" My teenage self would cringe at this. As an adult, I love it.

Greg Graber is an internationally respected leadership and mental performance coach who helps teams, schools, organizations, and individuals thrive under pressure. With a foundation in mindfulness-based practices, Greg teaches people how to stay grounded, focused, and resilient in fast-paced, high-stakes environments.

His practical, science-backed approach has made him a go-to expert for elite performers across industries — from professional sports and education to healthcare, hospitality, and law enforcement.