When I am contemplating making an improvement in myself, I like to consider this concept of 100 versus 1. Until I found the recipe behind the 365 commitment, I had the false assumption that I could conquer any personal struggles with 1 day of brilliance. It sounds ridiculous now, but it was true. I imagine it is true for many people. They keep thinking in their minds, one day I am going to improve. One day I am going to turn it around. They finally build up the courage and motivation and that one day comes. They do their best to have a perfect day, doing the things that they know they should and then in just a few days later cannot keep it up and fail. Then they are right back where they started, only this time, licking their wounds from dismal failure.
The one day thinking is what leads to this problem. It causes unnecessary discouragement. True, you can have a great one day, but you can never have a string of great days put together, right out of the gate. You have to build up to it, and that takes a long term attitude and commitment. It is better to look at solving a personal problem as a 100 day problem, rather than a one day problem. Consider this, instead of coming up with the super human day one, why not come up with something that you can accomplish easily but make a commitment to complete it everyday for 100 days? Let us ponder this rhetorical question. What is more effective? A few initial days at doing a super human effort, followed by complete failure or 100 days of repeated effort of a small scale?
The answer is quite simple. The effort you accumulate in 100 days of consistent effort on one particular good habit will far outweigh anything you can accomplish in a few days until your motivation runs out. Here is a rule to understand. Motivation ALWAYS runs out. Sometimes longer than others, but one thing you can always count on. Your motivation will weaken and your resolve will crumble. You just cannot simply rely on motivation alone. This is why you have to think in terms of 100. Instead of thinking, what could I get motivated to do “one day,” think what could I do to get motivated to do over the course of “one hundred days?” This question completely changes the paradigm and puts things in to the exact perspective required to be successful.
This is one of the biggest changes that I have made in my thinking as I have improved on making and keeping commitments. I suggest trying it. Think of some change you want to make, and as yourself what you are willing to commit to over 100 days straight. You will notice how profoundly your response will change versus the procrastinating mind that thinks that it will overcome your personal demons, on one day in the distant future.
Guy Reams
