I was having a conversation with someone the other day about forming habits in relation to goals and I realized that there was a disconnect between the intent of forming the habit and actually forming of the habit. Many people that want to form a habit don’t start with the discipline of repeating what is needed over and over; Purposely planning and implementing the “thing” over and over. The habit only comes when that repetition becomes ingrained and that takes weeks to months!
Coming from a Dental background, think about when parents have to start brushing their kids teeth as toddlers. It’s the parents discipline of doing it over and over and the parents enforcing the action that eventually as the toddler becomes older it becomes a habit.
Don’t expect to be perfect or to figure it all out right off the bat, but by disciplining yourself by using reminders, scheduling, planning, having a support system and accountability…the habit will eventually form. Giving up and not following through with the discipline is often where people fail. Make every day better than the one before by building on your discipline.
Start with forming the discipline. The habit will come.
