The Key to Consistency: Unwavering Motivation
We are all familiar with the thrilling surge of motivation. The sudden, strong desire to start a new habit, begin a project, or drastically change your life is what happens on January 1st or the Monday following a long weekend. However, if you’re like most people, you’re also aware of the excruciating crash that ensues. When the initial enthusiasm wanes, you’re left wondering how to keep the momentum going. Developing a system of consistency that works even when you don’t feel like it is the key to long-term success, not seeking a constant source of inspiration.
The Myth of Willpower
Our greatest error is relying too much on emotional highs and willpower. Motivation is a great way to get things started, but it’s a bad way to end. As you make choices and withstand temptations throughout the day, your willpower is drained. You will undoubtedly fail if you wait to be “inspired” to practice a skill, save money, or work out since inspiration is erratic.
Realizing that consistency is a discipline of design rather than desire is the fundamental adjustment in perspective. You must establish a habit and an atmosphere in which taking the easiest route leads to the desired outcome.
Creating the Framework That Keeps You Afloat
1. Reduce the Habit to Its Most Basic Form
We gave up since the entry hurdle is too high. Instead of committing to a 60-minute workout, start with 5 minutes of stretching as soon as you wake up if you want to start exercising. Write one line of code if you want to learn how to write code. We call this “micro-committing.” The mental friction that causes procrastination is removed when a habit is too little to fail. Instant success gives you the momentum you need to move on to the next phase.
2. Form a New Routine (Stacking Habits)
Avoid picking up new habits at random during the day. Attach it to a routine that you already follow on autopilot. It’s known as habit stacking.
“I shall [New Habit] after [Current Habit]” is the formula.
As an illustration, “I’ll read one page of my book after brushing my teeth.” Alternatively, “I will fill the dishwasher right away after shutting down my laptop for the day.” You can gradually make the process automatic by establishing a connection between the new behavior and a known trigger.
3. Monitor Your Development, Don’t Break the Loop
Visual tracking has tremendous power. Obtain a physical calendar and mark each day that you fulfill your micro-commitment with a large “X”. The objective changes from doing the work flawlessly to just avoiding breaking the X’s. The sole rule is that you can’t skip two days in a row. By doing this, you can keep a brief slip-up from becoming a complete failure to succeed.
Continuous improvement is a discipline; motivation is a gift. Building robust procedures, removing obstacles to action, and making a daily commitment to show up will guarantee that your work continues long after the original sense of inspiration has subsided.