How habits make us

James Clear’s outstanding book Atomic Habits outlines how our habits are not goals to be met, but the things that make up our very identities.  Where you are financially or health-wise today is precisely the result of your prior habits.

There’s an obvious difference between “I do yoga” and “I did yoga”.  One implies that the practice is part of your identity or lifestyle.  Unlike goals (lose 10 pounds in a month for example), habits don’t have an end date.

There is tremendous power in creating new habits that serve us.  And again, unlike goals, every tiny action you take casts a vote for the person you wish to become.

Time management

For some, being a stickler for scheduling every activity feels rigid.  But a quick look at your calendar (or reflection if you don’t keep one) reveals your priorities. You vote with your actions, not with what you claim as important.

If it feels rigid to you, just remember that YOU are in charge of your calendar.  You can change it anytime to something that feels better.

The purpose of keeping a calendar and managing your time is to make sure that you allocate time for your most important items. The point then is to schedule your priorities, not just prioritize your schedule.

The journey

One way that ‘as-soon-as’ syndrome manifests itself is in our belief that we’ll finally be happy once we reach some goal.  Studies show that the gratification from achievement is surprisingly fleeting, even for a major life accomplishment.

The Buddhists have a thousand sayings that all translate to the cliche: ‘life is a journey, not a destination’.  They recognize that we’ll never really get “there” – that magic place where we’re finally happy and need nothing more.

An honest reflection reveals that some of our journeys brought more fulfillment than the achievements or the accolades.  As Miley Cyrus brilliantly sings: “It’s not about how fast I get there, it’s not about what’s waiting on the other side…it’s the climb.”