Little by Little, Habits Add Up!
John C. Maxwell says that if he were to follow you around for a day, he could tell whether or not you'd be a success. Your daily routine, your seemingly insignificant habits, affect your future - for better and for worse. He recommends having a daily routine that consists of five key habits - the "Rule of 5" - that will lead to your success.
Jeff Olson would go on to call it "The Slight Edge" principle, while Darren Hardy calls it "The Compound Effect" in their books by the same titles.
These leadership experts would all agree that little by little progress does add up to big results, whether you realize it or not. I agree too!
Examples
Did you know that a penny doubled every day would equate to over 5.3 million dollars? Who knew something so tiny, could make such a big impact!
How about the woman who decided to read 15 minutes a day? That's 5,475 minutes of reading - of educating herself and growing her mindset - in one year. Let's suppose it takes a total of 6 hours for her to read an average length book. That would mean that she has now read 15 books in one year.
The Effects
Just that alone is pretty amazing, but imagine the exponential growth that has taken place inside of her because of what she's been reading! Her marriage has deepened, her relationship with her kids is better, her coaching business has doubled in size, and their finances have improved. Talk about a small habit shift creating a powerful ripple effect!
But it is not easy to create a new or better habit. A little decision or action - like waking up 30 minutes earlier or reading a bit each day - is easy to do, but, as Jeff Olson would say, also easy NOT to do!
Here are 5 Tips to Stick to a New Habit:
1. Know your "Why." If your new habit is not rooted in a strong reason why you want to change, then it will be much more difficult to stick to it. If it's just a random thought or wish, you'll never follow through.
2. Accountability is Key. It is all too easy to listen to the voice in your own head that will talk you right out of doing anything that takes change or effort. Find an accountability partner who will help you stick to your habit. Becoming part of a MastHERmind may be the perfect solution to help you in this area.
3. Keep Track. It is important to track your own progress. You'll find you want to keep going when you realize you have accomplished something 5 days in a row. You won't let yourself miss the 6th day. There are tons of habit tracker templates out there - google away!
4. Timing is Everything. It can be hard to stick to a new habit if you don't schedule it during a time that works for you. Reading 15 minutes a day is great, but if you tend to fall asleep while reading, it may be best to do that in the morning at the kitchen table instead of at night in bed.
5. Reward Yourself. Find something you can look forward to when you complete your task. Perhaps it's a cup of coffee auto-brewed and ready when you wake up that half hour earlier, or maybe it's a small sweet treat because you nailed your diet plan that week!
Just Begin
This is just the beginning. Take the first step. Start small, and have faith that the small decisions you make today will lead to great things in the future.
I'd love to help you discover how to set and achieve your business goals using these little steps. Contact me today to schedule a call where we can discuss how to take the next step, prioritize, and set proper goals for this new year!