How To Fall Into Your Own Trap

You took the first step.

You started.Day 1.

Time to start thinking about day 2.

So now that you started, you probably need special shoes.And you probably need the special gloves to go with it.And you probably will end up needing another dry-fit short since you’re gonna be doing this new thing so often.And you should just pay for the membership all in advance since you’ll be using it all the time.. . .Stop.

Does this sound familiar?

Before you start allocating resources to things that don’t matter, it’s probably better to start with the basics first.The tricky part is that you really meant well.You were just leaning into the first step!But you fell into your own trap.

The most basic of basics is habit.

It’s not the details of how many minutes you should spend on cardio for your body type or which muscle group you exercise on Mondays.Before you think about anything that will cost you money or attention, remember what matters first:The habit.

2 Minute Action

Everyone has 2 minutes. You can use it to do burpees, send an email, or call your mom.Whats a habit you want to build?What part of it can you do for 2 minutes?This is your opportunity to conquer your excuses and start your day off with a win.

A Simple Trick To Creating A New Habit

It has to be everyday.It has to be small enough to achieve.It has to be aligned with your mission.Okay, stop. You’ve heard all of this, yet everyone thinks THEY are the exception.The weird thing is that, sure, these principles are subject to change—but only after you start having success.You need small wins to build the confidence and momentum to crush bigger and bigger goals.Drip. Drip. Drip.

2 Minute Action:

What daily habits do you have?Can you attach a two minute habit to one of these?Anchoring a habit on another can be powerful.The only caveat is that it needs to be actionable and small.You’re rarely going to feel like doing it. That’s the point.

What To Do First When It’s Hard

The hard stuff is usually depicted in movies and other media as some kind of grueling, physical test of will.It’s a race, or a hockey game, or a POW camp.While this can be true for some things, it’s usually not.More likely, the hard stuff is something social, emotional, or psychological.Usually, the hard stuff is just simply: the thing you’re avoiding.It doesn’t have to look hard. It just has to make you feel like you’d like to avoid it.If you’re afraid of it, that’s probably a good sign that you’ve sniffed out the hard stuff successfully.

So what do you do?

Stop me if it’s obvious by now . . .Break it into smaller pieces and then do the first one as soon as you start your day.Building a habit of small actions will accumulate like compounding interest.

2 Minute Action:

What’s the thing you’re dreading doing today?Do it right now.You might not be able to do the whole thing in 2 minutes, and that’s fine.Just start.Putting your shorts on is generally the hardest part of going to the gym.