Whenever we set a goal for ourselves, it is extremely easy to work towards it in the beginning. But as time goes by, and the motivation wears off, we find it hard to stick to anything. We then end up procrastinating, and we never feel motivated enough to begin again. Sound familiar?
In my post titled 'Want To Lose Weight? Start Small.', I wrote about the importance of introducing new habits into your life very slowly. (This principle applies to all good habits, and not only healthy eating and exercise.)
There are two benefits of 'Starting Small' :
1. You don't overwhelm yourself with big goals.
2. You don't end up calling it a day after a week or two.
For example, if you want to start a blog, or you want to write a book, start by setting a goal of sitting down and writing for a very short period of time every day, say ten minutes. What usually happens is you start writing and the words start flowing, and before you know it, you've written for an hour.
The 2 Minute Rule :
The '2 Minute Rule' is a way of tricking your brain into believing that the habit you are about to perform isn't hard. All that you need to do, is break down the habit into a small two minute version of it.
By following this rule, sticking to habits becomes effortless, because once you start doing something it's much easier to continue with it.
The 5 Second Window :
The first step to positive change is to decide, then to plan and then to execute. However, sticking to goals can be tiring, especially when we lack motivation and energy.
In a video on YouTube, Mel Robbins says, "Every human being has a 5 second window, maybe even shorter, in which they can move from IDEA to ACTION, before their brain kicks into full gear and sabotages any change in behaviour."
So, the next time you think of a way to improve your life, make a decision within the next 5 seconds, to avoid self-sabotage and procrastination.
Remember, it is up to you to decide what you want in life, and to put in the required effort to make your dreams a reality.
Everything is possible, with a little faith and a lot of dedication!
Thank you for reading! Stay blessed!
© TheKindTempest
Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash.