Want to stop failing at making new habits? Stop doing this 1 thing!

Photo by Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash

Why do you keep failing when you try to change your bad habits? 

You start off strong doing the new habit. You're motivated. You nail it the first few days or so.

Until you miss a day. Then you miss two days. Your motivation drops. You think, “Why even try at this point? Obviously I can’t do this.”

By the end of that first week, you’re ready to give up on it because you're already "off track".

Want to stop failing at making new habits?

Then stop thinking about the new habit as a long term thing!

Stop trying to do the new habit perfectly every single day for 21 days or 30 days or however many days you're trying to make it. Stop looking at it as something you have to do every day for that many days. 

Instead, do it just for today. 

Don't worry about how you did or didn't do it yesterday. Don't think about how many more days you have to do it. Just make it happen today.

Then at the end of the day, give yourself a high five. You did it. Even if it wasn't complete or perfect. It still counts.

When you wake up tomorrow, do it again--just for that one day.

At the end of that day, give yourself another high five. You did it. Again.

Keep doing "your best" with it each day. 

Remember: some days "your best" feels like a real home run. Some days, "your best" is just getting out of bed and putting on pants. Others days are somewhere in between. That's ok. It's ALL ok.

You're only doing this new habit for one day, just today. 

What are you waiting for?? Go do the thing! :)