Developing Habits for Growth
Why Consistency Beats Motivation
"I am going to" are words that often define procrastination unless they are tied to a specific time and date.
For example, "Tomorrow, as soon as I wake up, I will write two sentences in my gratitude journal, one about yesterday and one about the day ahead, and do this every day." That is specific, but what can be done to reinforce this commitment and make it all but impossible to forget or skip?
How about putting the journal on your bedside table, open to the next page, with the pen or pencil on it, where you must reach over it to turn on the lamp or turn off the alarm clock?
The mistake many of us make is believing we will remember, feel motivated, or simply decide to do the right thing in the moment. Unfortunately, mornings are often busy, evenings are tiring, and stress has a way of making us forget our best intentions.
The solution is not usually more motivation. The solution is creating an environment that reminds us of what we already decided was important.
The details may vary, but the principle remains the same. If it is not gratitude journaling but a morning jog you are committing to, place your jogging outfit, socks, and shoes where you will see them first thing in the morning.
In other words, prepare today for your successful completion of tomorrow's goals. How much more likely are you to accomplish a task that is intentionally put in front of you as a reminder than one that remains only on your mind or buried in a list on your phone?
The new habit to learn is to prepare for the habit you want to start. Create a designated place for what you need and make preparation part of the routine itself. A little effort in advance can make success much more likely the next day.
With a little planning, you can have a routine that makes new habits very hard to miss.
This habit builder can be used for almost any routine, new or old, that you want to reinforce as a persistence driven activity.
- Exercise
- Reading
- Prayer
- Journaling
- Walking
And if the new habit is to stop doing something that has become part of your routine, preparing for that can be done as prevention as well. Set timers on phone apps and televisions, or physically move remote controls out of reach of your bed so everything for sleep is preset before you lie down.
Stop buying the foods you know you should not be eating.
It may be difficult at first, but it is much easier to control temptation when it is not an option than when it is sitting in the house waiting for you.
Start with one simple thing right now.
Right now.
Set yourself up for something you have been meaning to do and make today the day you start and don't stop. Move on to adding something else after this becomes part of your natural routine. It is easier to do this one at a time, unless they naturally fit together like Scripture reading and journaling, than to start several things at once and feel overwhelmed by the changes.
What if it isn't working?
The most important part of starting something new is not being hard on yourself if you miss a day or forget.
Let it go.
Start right back up and keep going.
If you find yourself missing days often or not wanting to continue after making a sincere effort, think about why. Maybe there is a physical or emotional strain attached that you did not anticipate.
Think about why your interest in the change has faded. Perhaps it was someone else's idea and never felt right for you. That is okay. Many times, motivation needs to come from us, not from someone else's idea of what we need or should do. Talk it through with them or spend time reflecting on it yourself.
I am not suggesting you ignore doctor's orders by any means, but if you are starting a new habit and it becomes physically or emotionally troubling, let someone know.
Real change rarely happens in one dramatic moment. More often, it happens through small actions repeated consistently over time.
If you want to build a new habit, don't focus on becoming more motivated. Focus on making success easier tomorrow than it is today. Prepare for the habit you want to build and let consistency do the rest.
In many ways, that is what being Persistence Driven really is.