Lately, I have been playing a game with myself. It goes like this. I fail to complete my exercise commitment for a given day, then, I tell myself that I can maintain my integrity in terms of the 365 Commitment as long as I make up the pull-ups or pushups or whatever within the week. Yah, that’s it, I’ll catch up! I have so many good reasons for playing this game, and I have tons of excuses i.e., ” I’ve been very busy and working very hard . . .” – this is my standard whiny excuse. It’s pathetic. Pathetic is a good word, it means deserving of contemptuous pity. Condescending is a good word too, it means I’m talking down to you (a joke just went by). Anyway, certainly that is how I feel toward the part of me that let my commitment slide – contemptuous pity.
This is not a terrible solution, and in fact has some merit. The total work gets done right? (insert weak pathetic voice) right? The truth is it’s just a bad habit. It’s the same bad habit I had when I was a school kid, cramming a bunch of work in right at the end of the week. It is a habit that must be banished for several reasons. First of all, it’s the opposite of the “Pay it Forward” concept. Instead of making life easier for myself or others in the future I am doing the opposite and burdening my future self with obligation. What if I did the opposite and did tomorrow’s pushups today? That would be sorta good . . . it seems, BUT, it breaks the fundamental purpose of The 365 Commitment which is to adhere to daily good habits. Period.
So, I am confessing to this silly game that I’ve been playing with myself. I will “catch up” my pull-ups and pushups as due punishment. It must be done. There, I feel better now, I’ve come clean! Now, it’s time to end this game and play the 365 game instead, which is keeping daily commitment to good habits. Developing and maintaining consistency is what I need, not playing stupid old games and not stealing time from future Ben.
Are you loading your future self up with commitments that current you should be keeping? The ethic of “making things better” demands that we be kind to our future selves and those we love.
Ben Wagner (148)
Member The 365 Commitment
