You would think that after so many days of keeping a commitment, I would eventually get to the point where I do not have days when I just do not want to do it. Well, I guess not. I still have days where I wake up just not feeling it. I guess I have two options at that point 1. Suck it up and do it anyway 2. Blow off my commitments.
The nice thing about establishing a habit is that while you are struggling with getting the resolve together to do it anyway, you just tend to go through the motions. Happened this morning. I was miserable about waking up at 5am, did not want to do so. However, as this has been a habit for almost a year now, I found myself getting up and out of bed and had my running clothes on before I really realized what I was doing. Same thing with the other elements of my commitment. I found myself already partially through them before I could really fight it.
So there you have the secret I think. You, we, need to fight through at least the first 90 days of keeping a commitment in order to establish a rock solid habit. From there, you are still going to have the bad days where you just do not want to, but once you get started, you will get it done. That is the power of habit. Whatever your personal commitment is, once you make a habit out of it – it gets a lot easier. Less will power required, less initial inertia, less reminders you have to set for yourself.
So my only advice, if my experience this last year or so means anything, is to fight, fight, fight until you create a long lasting habit. Habits are powerful, perhaps more so than I realized earlier in my life. So sorry. We are all going to have the days that just plain suck, in fact, you are going to have a lot of them. The question is are you willing to show some grit, get through the bad days, form that long lasting habit and realize your future self?
Guy Reams
365 Alumni
101 Days left to 1st Marathon
