My System for Building NEW HABITS THAT STICK

I want to share my fool-proof, pain-free method of building new habits that actually STICK.

First, let’s define what a “habit” is.

For me, a habit is a behaviour pattern or practice, acquired by repetition, that has become nearly or entirely involuntary. In other words, it’s something you do EVERYDAY without thinking about it.

Some habits you might like to have could be meditating, exercising, writing, creating art, learning a new language, reading, cooking without a recipe, acquiring a new skill or getting better at something you’re interested in.  I leave it with you.

The trouble with new habits is that in order for them to become habitual, you they require an initial period where you have to make an effort to repeat and repeat and repeat them.

The prospect of that initial period can be affronting and daunting. A chasm, between who you are now and who you imagine you’d be if only you [fill in the blank] everyday, widens. 

We think, "It will be too disruptive and hard and take too much time and effort and what if I FAIL?!" And so we don’t start.

I wholeheartedly relate and empathise with those dissenting voices.

But… (as my childhood best friend, Teddy, often reminds me) I am obsessed with HOW TO ORGANISE TIME and personal systems management.

Through this obsession, dogged study, reading books and listening to podcasts on productivity, working with hundreds of artists in my solo show labs and the creativity challenge and endless experimenting on myself and refining …

I have found a method that WORKS.

That will help you develop a new, healthy habit that will stick without pain or suffering or making you feel like a loser.  Apply it to any creative pursuit or physical activity.

1. Start TINY
   Choose a minuscule increment of time to do the thing each day (i.e. meditate/write/run for 5 min).
   

2. COMMIT to the GOLDEN RULE
   The golden rule is to do the thing EVERY SINGLE DAY. Do it right before you go to bed if you have to, but get it in.
   

3. Practice at the SAME TIME every day
   If you’re freelance, don’t worry about that too much, but it helps speed up the process of making it something you don’t have to think about.
   

4. Make it your GOAL every day
   When you wake up, think, “Today my goal is to do my 5 mins of ______”
   

5. Make it EASY and COMFORTABLE for yourself
   Make it work for you. Create the conditions so you can do it by any means necessary. I meditate in my bed, propped up on pillows because IT WORKS FOR ME.
   

6. If you miss a day FORGIVE YOURSELF
   Know that all is not lost, just recommit the following day.
   

7. Only INCREASE INTENSITY WHEN you’re HUNGRY for it
   I now meditate 15 min each day, that’s after a year of 5 min pd and then another year of 10 min pd. I didn’t have to think about increasing the time, I just did it when I felt it and it didn’t hurt.
   

8. Sit back & ENJOY the MAGIC of the CUMULATIVE EFFECT
   Don’t strain or push or berate yourself for doing too little. More on the cumulative effect in a future email.

Now some tag lines to send you into your feel-good habit building:

Be the turtle.
Done is better than perfect.
Showing up is all you have to do.
This can be easy.