> Large steps activate the amygdala. But there’s a genuine hack: small steps “sneak” past the amygdala without activating the fight or flight response.

I don't really think this is the correct way to frame why small steps are effective.

Anxiety is not why I avoid large steps. Even if it was, small steps tend to be slow and ineffective at resolving anxiety anyway.

No, I avoid large steps because they fucking suck. They're too much of a commitment when I know I have other things I could be doing that are more productive in the short term. That productivity seems guaranteed because I'm already familiar and I can bang those tasks out quickly. I avoid work when the productivity gain is long term and I'm not sure it will pay off. This is not anxiety about whether it will pay off. This is rational pruning of bullshit in my way.

What I do instead is schedule small steps towards something I'm unsure about earlier in the day so I at least feel like I'm trying something new, and then do the other routine stuff later in the day so I go to bed knowing I accomplished something. If the small steps are starting to pay off, I have something to look forward to tomorrow. If they are not, I can still look forward to replacing those tasks with something more interesting.

It's important to not waste time and maintain control. Trying new things is productive and educational, but forcing yourself to stick with something is just delusional and bad for mental health.