I have discovered that we may be in some degree
whatever character we choose.
Besides, practice forms a man to anything.
James Boswell
Bad habits are tough to break. After all, they’ve probably become ingrained over many years. But I believe that we can change any behaviour we want to, given a solid intention and a liberal dose of willpower.
I’ve been putting this belief to the test recently. One of my worst habits is my tendency to snack. Give me a packet of crisps before supper or a bar of chocolate after lunch and I have the willpower of a damp cardboard box. As I wanted to lose a few pounds I decided drastic action needed to be taken. To help keep me on the straight and narrow, and to practice putting some new habits in place, I used a simple coaching exercise called Ten Daily Habits.
This is how it works:
1. Draw a grid — 8 columns wide and up to 11 deep.
2. In the left-hand column list up to 10 things that you want to do (or not do) on a daily basis. (I specified seven things, including no chocolate after lunch; no food after 8pm; walk round the block at lunchtime; practice T’ai Ch’i and drink lemon water first thing in the morning.)
3. Along the top, write the days of the week — Monday to Sunday.
4. Each day, as you achieve the goal you’ve set yourself you can have the pleasure and satisfaction of ticking the box. This reinforces the positive behaviour and should help to keep you motivated.
Here’s my example:
This exercise really works for me. The crazy thing is that even though it’s only a piece of paper — and a piece of paper that only I will see — I honestly feel that I have to succeed so that I can Tick the Box.
You don’t have to stick to daily habits — some people find it useful to do weekly habits instead, or even a combination of the two.
After you’ve done a thing the same way for two years,
look it over carefully.
After five years, look at it with suspicion.
And after ten years, throw it away and start all over.
Alfred Edward Perlman
Yesterday is not ours to recover,
but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.
Lyndon B. Johnson