Start Your "New Years" Resolutions NOW
Do you know what is by far the most popular day for people to start a new habit?
Tomorrow
Then when tomorrow comes, we inevitably need more time to prepare, so we put it off again, and figure we’ll just start …
You know the answer.
Too many of our goals (or resolutions if you prefer) never even get past the planning stage. We need everything to be “just right” before we can start.
Well I hate to tell you, but it’s rare that everything is ever just right.
This isn’t going to be a post about how to set goals, or even what makes a good resolution. Instead this is all about timing and taking action.
Guess what?
It’s not Rocket Surgery 😉
Starting (aka “taking action”) is more important than doing it perfectly.
Speaking of perfection, let’s talk about how long this actually takes. There is a widely believed myth that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.
I hate to break it to you …
It’s probably more like 2 months, and maybe even as long as almost a year.
This isn’t terrible news.
If it takes you months to form a habit, you’re less likely to slip and give it up easily once it’s part of your daily routine.
But …
If there is a goal we really want to achieve, or a change we really want to make, it’s even more important that the first step isn’t put off until tomorrow(s).
I’m not just talking theoretically. I've experienced this in real life.
For years, I had taken “before pictures” with the intention of getting back in shape. But then I often never actually started exercising or eating better.
I was always going to start “tomorrow”.
Side note: this was often a great excuse to sit around and eat even worse than normal … since I was getting in shape soon anyway.
Then, on a Friday afternoon in late January 2019, I just came up with a workable eating and exercise plan and started it THAT DAY.
Six years later, eating 6-8 small meals a day is still a habit.
I didn’t start on New Years Day, my Birthday, the First of the Month, or even the Next Monday, and for once I didn’t wait until tomorrow.
I decided to do it, and started it RIGHT AWAY.
Right now, it’s mid December, so many people are beginning to build their lists of potential New Years Resolutions.
This is fine.
But if there’s anything on that list that you Really want to Achieve, don’t put it off until January 1st.
Start Today
So what new habit were you thinking of starting tomorrow?
Til next time,
Todd
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