Your Potential is in Your Patterns: 3 Daily Habits for 2023

Let me tell you a little secret - I used to be terrible at developing daily habits and truthfully at times I still struggle. I was always the kind of person who would start out with the best intentions, but I could never seem to stick with anything for very long. I would try to get up early and exercise, or follow some strict diet, or read every day, but I always ended up falling back into my old patterns.

But as I got older, I started to realize that if I wanted to make real progress in my life, I needed to develop daily habits that would help me get there. I wasn't going to become the person I wanted to be by focusing on what not to do, but rather by consistently doing the things that would move me in the right direction.

Developing daily habits is hard work, but it's also incredibly rewarding. Small, consistent actions taken every day can create significant and positive changes in our lives. The key is to identify the behaviors that are important to us and make a daily commitment to doing them, even if we don't always feel like it.

By focusing on small, consistent actions, we can create a sense of structure and routine that supports our goals and helps us to achieve success in all aspects of our lives. It's the consistent faithful things that we do every day that ultimately lead to success.

So if you're struggling to make progress in your life, try developing daily habits that move you in the right direction. It may not be easy at first, but the rewards are worth it. It wasn't until I started approaching daily habits with a more forgiving mindset towards myself that I began to see some success. Instead of trying to be perfect, I accepted that I was going to mess up sometimes. I made a commitment to just keep going, even when I fell off the wagon. With time and practice... and some patience, you'll find that the consistent daily habits you develop will become a part of who you are, and will help you achieve the life you've always wanted.

That's how I developed this first daily habit - reading the Bible for about 15 minutes every day. It was hard at first. I'd forget, or I'd be too tired, or I'd just plain not feel like it. But I kept at it, even on the days when I wasn't feeling it. I even use the Bible app to listen to passages in the car when I am in a rush, and I try to make it a non-negotiable part of my day. Currently I am on a 70 day streak! Thats the best I have done in the last year.

I'm not going to lie - there are times when I slipped up. I'd forget for a few days, or I'd skip it in favor of something else. But instead of beating myself up, I just picked up where I left off. Over time, I began to notice that reading the Bible every day was having a positive impact on my spiritual life. I feel more centered and motivated, and I had more clarity about the things that were important to me.

I am currently doing a challenge with my son to do 100 pushups every day in 2023, and it has been one of the most rewarding daily habits I have ever developed. As someone who is naturally competitive, the challenge was something I found relatively easy to commit to. However, there are still times when I just don't feel like doing them. It can be challenging to motivate myself, especially on those days when I'm feeling tired or stressed out.

One memorable instance when I had to do pushups was on the street in the middle of Manhattan just to get them done before midnight. It was not my proudest moment, but I knew that if I missed even one day, it would set a bad example for my son. There have also been times when I had to do them in a tent while camping, in a hotel room while on vacation, and even in my dark bedroom in the middle of the night when I realized I had forgotten to do them earlier in the day.

Despite these challenges, I have stuck with the pushup challenge, and the results have been remarkable. I have developed greater discipline and consistency, and I feel stronger and more physically fit. The pushup challenge has also brought my son and me closer together. We are able to support and encourage each other, and it's been fun to see our progress over time.

As I continue with the pushup challenge, I am reminded of the importance of finding ways to stay motivated, even on those days when it's tough. As author and speaker Zig Ziglar once said, "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." The pushup challenge has taught me the value of daily commitment and consistency, and I am excited to see where this habit will take me in the future.

The next habit I am developing is one of the most challenging, but it's also been the most rewarding: speaking life into the people around me.

For me, speaking life into others means using my words to uplift and inspire those around me. I've come to realize that by focusing on the positive qualities of others and helping them see those qualities in themselves, I can have a profound impact on their lives. King Solomon's words in Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue," have really resonated with me, reminding me of the incredible power that our words hold. It's not always easy to speak positively, but by making it a habit, I know that I can create positive change in my own life and in the lives of those around me.

This doesn't mean pretending that everything is perfect or avoiding difficult conversations. Sometimes, it requires having difficult, direct conversations. However, even in these situations, I always try to use my words to build others up and help them see their strengths. There is always an opportunity to build someone back up with the words we choose to say. By doing this, I've found that I'm able to create deeper connections with the people around me and to approach challenges with greater positivity and resilience.

To help remind myself to speak life into others, I've written the words "SPEAK LIFE" on the glass wall in my office. This visual cue is a daily reminder to focus on the positive qualities of the people around me and to offer words of encouragement and support whenever possible.

Research has shown that the words we use have a significant impact on our mental and emotional well-being. A study conducted by the University of Arizona found that people who engage in positive self-talk experience less stress and are better able to cope with difficult situations. Similarly, research has shown that positive reinforcement can be a powerful tool for motivating others. According to a study by Gallup, employees who receive regular praise and recognition are more engaged and more likely to stay with their current employer.

For me, the habit of speaking life into others has not only improved my relationships with the people around me, but it has also changed my internal dialogue about myself. By focusing on the positive qualities of others, I've learned to see the good in myself as well. I've found that I'm better able to handle stress and to approach challenges with greater confidence and resilience.

But let's be real - it's not always easy to speak life into others. There are times when I still slip back into old patterns of negativity and criticism. But I've learned to approach this habit with a sense of humor and willingness to laugh at some of my epic failures. I'm not perfect at it, but I can make an effort. And over time, I've found that the effort is well worth it.

As motivational speaker and author Tony Robbins once said, "The words you speak become the house you live in." By making a daily effort to speak life into the people around us, we are building a foundation for positive relationships and a more positive mindset. It's not always easy, but it's a habit that can have a profound impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. The bottom line is this: developing daily habits is hard. It requires commitment and discipline and a willingness to keep going even when you mess up. And by allowing room for mistakes, I can still make progress. As I've learned, it's not about being perfect - it's about making a daily effort to move in the right direction.

As I reflect on my personal journey of developing daily habits, I am reminded of the power of commitment and discipline. It's not always easy, and there are days when I slip up or fall behind. But what I've learned is that progress is possible, even in the smallest steps.

If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, I encourage you to start small. Pick one daily habit that you want to develop and commit to doing it every day, even when you don't feel like it. For me, it was reading the Bible, doing 100 pushups every day, and speaking life into the people around me. These habits have helped me to find discipline, focus, and progress to become the man who I hope to see in the mirror.

And remember, it's not about striving for perfection, but about making a daily effort to move in the right direction. Even on the days when you don't feel like it, or when you slip up, just pick up where you left off and keep going.

The journey of developing daily habits is not always easy, but the rewards are worth it. So take that first step, commit to your daily habit, and watch as your life begins to change in positive ways.