WHY WE FAIL, AND HOW WE CAN SUCCEED

HABITS. WHY WE FAIL AND HOW WE CAN SUCCEEDLast week we looked at "how to get more bang for your buck" with the time you have and the practices you want to do, specifically regarding breath work and yoga. Obviously it is not everyones goal to do both breath work and yoga but it demonstrates the finer idea of habit stacking. 

James Clear talks about habit stacking in his book Atomic Habits, (a read I definitely recommend). Habit stacking is the idea of taking a desired habit and putting it very closely to a habit that you already have.



HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE  You already have a breath work practice but are trying to add in more movement, last weeks email demonstrates how to stack those habits so that you are more likely to become successful with your goal of more movement. 

You want to drink more water, you place a 16oz glass next to your toothbrush and before you brush your teeth, (hopefully twice a day), you chug that glass of water first. 

You want to start journalling. Each morning once you have made your cup of coffee/tea, sit down and journal only three sentences. 

You want to start exercising. Start just by driving to the gym and spending ONLY 10 minutes there. (This is a brilliant example that James Clear gives in the book).  

You want to begin to eat healthier. Pick one meal a day that you will intentionally eat better choices.

Habits failures happen when our goals are far more lofty than our current ability. Therefore, it is important that we start small and slowly build our way up to our desired goal rather than go full steam ahead and quit after just a couple of days. The examples above indicate this. 


REAL TALK
I used to have this friend that would whine all the time about her weight ad constantly compare her body to my body, (two different body types). I offered to help her multiple times. Not that I thought she needed to change her body, but we talked about her feeling comfortable inside her own body and learning to love what it can do for her. She continuously refused and kept on whining about her unhappiness and telling me that I was "lucky" because I loved Jiu Jitsu so it is "easy" for me to go train. 
IT IS NOT EASY FOR ME TO GO TRAIN. Sure I get excited to train, but I also know the level of failure I am likely going to have that day and I do not always anticipate that. I have just developed an important skill called "discipline" that keeps me going regardless of the outcome. 

Your success is based upon YOU... the tools you incorporate, the discipline that you develop understanding that the outcome will be far greater than the sacrifices, and often times the support of the people around you... this can also be looked at as long term goals traded for short term sacrifices. 

I have programs specifically built out for this.. creating better habits that weed out the bullshit of your life and set you up for the success of your life, whether that is you training to compete or get out of the shitty job you hate, or switch out the friends that you have outgrown. You always deserve better.