The Power Of Habits To Build The Life You Want

I've got some really important questions for you at the end of this article that could seriously transform your life. But first let me lay the groundwork.

Some may say that my days are monotonous and boring! Here's what I mean, my timings can be flexible, but the content doesn't change that much…

·?????? Get up around 6:30 every day, make a cup of chaga

·?????? Brief workout and stretching routine

·?????? Cook/eat breakfast (exactly the same breakfast every day!) while listening to a podcast

·?????? Shower, clean teeth

·?????? Make coffee

·?????? Open laptop and check phone.

·?????? Start work or study. Today is Wednesday so I’m writing and posting a blog. If I were running training or seeing clients, I’d wear the same clothes, a black shirt and jeans

After this, my afternoon and evening will follow a similar pattern as every other day…

·?????? Walk around the cliff tracks or an ocean swim depending on the weather or the season

·?????? Bit more work or study when I get home

·?????? Dinner at the same time

·?????? Evenings, you guessed it – predictable!

Why? Well, at my age this routine works for me – I love my lifestyle, so I'll keep doing it until I decide (or circumstances dictate) to change it. But even then, any changes will just become a new routine.

Why the emphasis on routine?

Routines are habits, and habits don’t require decisions and therefore take less cognitive effort. Having to constantly make decisions takes a lot of brainpower and can be quite stressful and draining – it takes time and mental energy to have to weigh up options and make decisions, it's a constant ‘stop and start’ process. So, why not put that time and mental energy towards enjoying life?!

For example, for me to not get up around 6:30, or not exercise and stretch just feels weird! It's easier (and more satisfying) to do them than to not do them. When I'm getting ready to run a training or see clients, I can get in the zone for training or think about my client rather than be distracted by deciding what to wear. This also helps with being on time and not running late. As for today, I don't need to wonder (or be distracted by thinking about) what I can do to relax after staring at a screen for a few hours, because I already know I'm going walking or swimming.

The more something becomes a habit the easier it is to do, and the harder it is to procrastinate over. It sounds paradoxical, but having more habits actually gives you more flexibility and freedom – routine smooths the path of your life.

In sports performance, routine builds champions. When I was teaching martial arts, we had routine warmups and drills that were part of every training session. To quote Bruce Lee, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times”.

In business, regularity and consistency of routine builds trust with your workforce and clients. This principle holds just as true with your family, friends, and social groups.

So here are those important questions for you...

·?????? What habits/routines can you start that will make your life easier and more fulfilling? Habits of thinking, or habits of high performing?

·?????? What activities can you make as regular as brushing your teeth?

·?????? What activities can you build into your life that become so routine you don't even have to think about them?