“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not.”
Octavia Butler
You are lying fast asleep in bed; I mean asleep. You’re having one of those dreams that takes you to a far-off place to be the superhero of your adventure. You start hearing a loud buzzing that keeps interrupting your current battle with the villain. It’s getting louder. Your mind gets pulled into the incessant noise…darn, it’s the alarm clock. No! It can’t be time to wake up, you just laid down. Your body is not moving, but your mind must make a choice. Push the snooze button for an extra 10 minutes and go back to fighting your villain, or wake up. My technique for getting up is not to think and to just jump up fast.
That waking moment decision at the beginning of your day will either set you up for success or failure. Create a winning habit and get up. On the other hand, quitting can be a habit too. Every time you don’t follow through on a commitment, no matter how small, you reinforce that behavior.
Most people quit before they even start. Think of how many times you said you would go on a diet, get fit, clean the garage, write an article, finish your website, sort out your clothes in your closet, read that book a friend recommended or meet up with a friend. The list goes on and on. That quitting habit sneaks into everything you do. It becomes easier to just not do stuff. You will notice the same behavior in your spouse, friend, or family so it reinforces your belief that it’s normal and okay. Soon that agonizing “To Do List” seems less important to complete. “Hey, I’m tired. I deserve a break. I don’t have time. I’ll do it tomorrow.” All battle cries of the procrastinator.
STOP! Today is the day you start taking back your self-worth and start sticking to your commitments. Make tomorrow the day you spring into action when that alarm goes off. That’s your first victory. Then you get dressed and go to the gym. That’s your second victory. After an hour, you complete your workout. That’s your third victory. You get home, shower, get dressed, and get downstairs for breakfast. That’s your fourth victory. You eat your eggs, avocado and tomato, no bread, no carbs. That’s your fifth victory. You arrive at work on time, fresh, motivated, and ready to take on any challenge. After all, it’s going to be YOUR BEST DAY EVER!!
Summer is here, life is good, and you can do anything you put your mind to doing. Start with small baby steps. Commit to “Just Doing it.” Don’t think, just do, and watch the results flow.
“Excuses will turn your dreams into dust.” – Unknown Be a Winner this Summer!
Ralph
