12 Modi Effettivi biex Nibnu Drawwiet Ġodda

Probably, there is no such person who would not like to acquire useful habits. The problem is that few people are willing to work on it. We hope that they will form on our own. One morning we wake up early, before the alarm goes off, and head to the gym. Then we’ll have something super healthy for breakfast and sit down for a creative project that we’ve been putting off for months. The craving to smoke and the desire to complain about life will disappear.

But you understand that this does not happen. Personally, for a long time I wanted to eat better and be in the moment more often. And even less work, check the phone less often and be able to say “no”. I wanted it but didn’t do anything. What helped me get off the ground? A few simple things.

1. Ibda żgħir

Motivation specialist James Clear talks a lot about «atomic habits» and has published a book of the same name about tiny steps that change lives. For example, he talks about a British cycling team that made a significant leap, focusing on improving their performance by just 1% in each area. Do not promise yourself that you will read more — read a page a day. Thinking globally is fine, but difficult. Start with simple steps.

2. Create a physical reminder

You’ve heard of Will Bowen’s purple bracelets. He suggests putting on a bracelet and wearing it for 21 consecutive days. The key point is that you can’t complain about life, those around you. Could not resist — put the bracelet on the other hand and start all over again. The method is simple but effective. You can think of something else — for example, carry a coin in your pocket (something like «sobriety coins» that people who attend Alcohol Anonymous groups carry with them).

3. Keep in mind what you need to solve the problem

If you want to start running in the morning, prepare clothes and shoes in the evening so that you can put them on immediately after waking up. Cut off your escape routes.

4. Attach new habits to old ones

I have wanted to start taking care of the environment for a long time, but dreams remained dreams until I realized that I could combine business with pleasure. I walk along the beach every evening, so why not start picking up trash while walking? You need to take a package with you. Will this finally and irrevocably save the world? No, but it will definitely make it a little better.

5. Surround yourself with nice people

“Tell me who your friend is, and I will tell you who you are” — the validity of this statement has been tested for thousands of years. Business coach Jim Rohn fleshed out the phrase by suggesting that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. If you want better habits, look for better friends.

6. Set yourself a challenging goal

…and complete it. The charge of energy will be such that you can instill in yourself any habits you want.

7. Get interested

I have always wanted to do push-ups every day and have been doing 50 push-ups for half a year, sometimes 100. What helped me? The right app: I not only do push-ups myself, but also compete with others, and if I miss a workout, I pay a five-dollar fine. At first, financial motivation worked, but then the competitive spirit woke up.

8. Make skips if necessary

I read a lot, but not every day. Reading voraciously while traveling is more effective for me than a page a day, although this option may well suit someone.

9. Iffoka fuqek innifsek

One of the reasons why I try to watch the news less and not think about what is not in my power is to save resources. If I turn on the TV in the morning and see a story about the victims of the storm or what politicians are doing, I will not have time for a healthy breakfast (rather, I want to “eat” what I heard with something high-calorie) and productive work. This is the same reason I don’t start my day by reading my social media feed. I believe that changes in the world begin with each of us, and I take care of myself.

10. Make the habit part of your personality

For my awareness of myself as a person, it is important that I do not be late and do not miss the deadlines. I also decided once and for all that I am a writer, which means that I simply have to write regularly. Also, for example, being a vegan is also part of the identity. This helps people avoid temptations and eat only plant foods (without such self-awareness, this is much more difficult).

11. Don’t overcomplicate

Many people are literally obsessed with the ideas of productivity and optimization. It seems to them: it is worth learning all the tricks used by successful writers, and fame will not be long in coming. In fact, most successful people just love what they do and have something to say.

12. Help yourself up

The path of self-improvement is difficult, steep and thorny, and there are many temptations to leave it. You will forget to exercise, “just once” replace a healthy dinner with fast food, fall into the rabbit hole of social networks, move the bracelet from one hand to another. This is fine. I really like the advice of TV presenter Oprah Winfrey: “Caught yourself eating cookies? Don’t beat yourself up, just try not to finish the whole pack.»

Even if you have gone astray, do not give up what you started simply because it didn’t work out the first time or the fifth. Reread the text, rethink the habits you want to develop. And act.

About the Expert: Ryan Holiday is a marketer and author of Ego Is Your Enemy, How Strong People Solve Problems, and Trust Me, I’m Lying! (not translated into Russian).