Not Just Goals, Habits.
We all know how goals work. You sit down, think about them, and write them down. Then, you try to keep them visible so you don't forget about them. If you are consistent and life doesn't get in your way, you might be lucky enough to see them come true. Does that sound about right? That's what I used to do, and unsurprisingly, I was very inconsistent. This inconsistency led to failure and, eventually, unhappiness. I reached a point where I stopped making goals altogether, as they felt pointless.
I read Atomic Habits this past year (2022) and it blew my mind. The idea of combining goal-setting with habits was amazing. We are all familiar with breaking goals into small steps, but making them part of our daily habits and making them so easy that following them requires no effort was a revolutionary concept to me.
It’s about the accumulation of tiny changes that end up creating drastic changes.
“Too often we convince ourselves that massive success requires massive action… We put pressure on ourselves to make some earth-shattering improvement that everyone will talk about. Meanwhile, improving by 1 percent isn’t particularly notable—sometimes it isn’t even noticeable—but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run.” (Atomic Habits by James Clear)
My problem is a lack of patience.
When I set a goal, I become so focused that I think I can achieve it quickly. In reality, this is not the case; I become quickly exhausted. Furthermore, if I make a huge effort to get something done, I tend to stop once I reach my goal, resulting in the dreaded yo-yo effect.
Now, I am focusing on making tiny changes that are easier to maintain and stick to. I am using the 1 percent rule to stick to my habits and make sure I am making consistent progress toward my goals. I am also setting realistic goals and deadlines, so I can avoid the pressure I have been putting on myself in the past. Finally, I am focusing on consistency and developing a plan of action that I can follow every day.
For example, I want to become a better writer. So instead of writing whenever inspiration struck, I have set myself a routine to wake up, have a coffee and write for 30 mins in the morning. My goal is to get 3 blogs a month, which by the end of the year will be 36 new blogs. If I keep up with it, I might get them done by March instead of… never!
Final Thoughts
James Clear discusses in his book that it is easier to form a habit when you set a specific time and place for it. For example, if you say, "I want to write for 30 minutes today," it can be difficult to decide when to do it. If you don't feel like it, you're unlikely to get it done. However, if you set a time and place, such as "every morning after my 8 o'clock coffee, I will go to my office and sit at the computer to write for 30 minutes," you eliminate the guesswork. There's no room to talk yourself out of it or run out of time. You have already set the place and time, so you just go do it.
I hope this has given you some good ideas on how to incorporate habits into your morning, afternoon, and night routines. Remember, drastic change doesn't require massive action - it's about consistently making small changes.
Here is a quick video of James Clear explaining it. Promise, MIND BLOWING.
IF YOU FOUND SOMETHING INSPIRING, INTRIGUING, OR ENCOURAGING IN THIS JOURNAL ENTRY—I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW!
Send me a message in the DMs or contact me to inquire about working together. I can’t wait to keep the conversation going.
