Lasting Change For Early Quitters, Burnouts, The
Unmotivated, And Everyone Else Too
When I decided to start exercising consistently 10 years
ago, this is what actually happened:
- I tried "getting motivated." It worked sometimes.
- I tried setting audacious big goals. I almost always
failed them.
- I tried to make changes last. They didn't.
Like most people who try to change and fail, I assumed that
I was the problem.
Then one afternoon--after another failed attempt to get
motivated to exercise--I (accidentally) started my first
mini habit. I initially committed to do one push-up, and it
turned into a full workout. I was shocked. This "stupid
idea" wasn't supposed to work. I was shocked again when my
success with this strategy continued for months (and to
this day). I had to consider that maybe I wasn't the
problem in those 10 years of mediocre results. Maybe it was
my prior strategies that were ineffective, despite being
oft-repeated as "the way to change" in countless books and
blogs.
I was right.
Is There A Scientific Explanation For This?
As I sought understanding, I found a plethora of scientific
studies that had answers, with nobody to interpret them
correctly. Based on the science--which you'll find peppered
throughout Mini Habits--we've been doing it all
wrong.
You can succeed without the guilt, intimidation, and
repeated failure associated with such strategies as
"getting motivated," New Year's Resolutions, or even "just
doing it." In fact, you need to stop using those strategies
if they aren't giving you great results. They don't work
because they all require you to fight against your
subconscious brain (a fight not easily won). It's only when
you start playing by your brain's rules and taking your
human limitations seriously--as mini habits show you how to
do--that you can achieve lasting change.
What's A Mini Habit?
A mini habit is a very small positive behavior that you force
yourself to do every day; its "too small to fail" nature
makes it weightless, deceptively powerful, and a superior
habit-building strategy. You will have no choice but to
believe in yourself when you're always moving forward. The
barrier to the first step is so low that even depressed or
"stuck" people can find early success and begin to reverse
their lives right away. And if you think one push-up a day is
too small to matter, I've got one heck of a story for you!
Aim For The First Step
They say when you aim for the moon, you'll land among the
stars. Well, that doesn't make sense, as the moon is closer
than the stars. I digress. The message is that you should
aim very high and even if you fall short, you'll still get
somewhere. I've found the opposite to be true in regards to
productivity and healthy behaviors. When you aim for the
moon, you'll won't shoot because it's too far away. But
when you aim for the step in front of you, you might just
keep going and reach the moon.
I've used the Mini Habits strategy to get into the best
shape of my life, read 10x more books, and write 4x as many
words. It started from requiring one push-up from
myself every day. How ridiculous is that? Not so ridiculous
when you consider the science of the brain, habits, and
willpower. The Mini Habits system works because it's
how our brains are designed to change.
I relished the opportunity to share this life-changing
strategy with the world. I loved writing Mini
Habits. You'll see my passion in the content as well as
the overall quality and presentation of the book.
Note: This book isn't for eliminating bad habits
(though some principles could be useful for breaking
habits). Mini Habits is a strategy to create permanent
healthy habits. Some categories include: exercise, writing,
reading, thinking positively, meditating, drinking water,
eating healthy foods, etc.
Book sample note: The "look inside" Amazon preview
lacks the cleanly spaced formatting of the actual Mini
Habits book.