1: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky once said.
And in most areas of life, this is true.
“It’s better to try and to fail than to not try at all,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit
One area where Wayne’s statement is not true? Habit formation.
“If you are not going to follow through with a habit,” Tynan reasons, “it is better to never start it at all. . .
“This pattern must be avoided,” he says. Why? Because “a downward spiral of failing to adopt habits is harmful in the long term.”
2: One strategy to avoid this is to understand the difference between excitement and motivation. It’s easy to confuse the two in the early stages of forming a habit.
“Excitement,” Tynan notes, “is like the energy that powers a sprinter, powerful and available immediately, but in danger of running out after a short while.
“Motivation is like the energy that powers a marathon runner, less powerful over any given increment, but capable of lasting much longer.”
We can count on excitement to carry us through the first week or two of forming a new habit.
After that, we need to be crystal clear on our real motivation.
3: Getting better at getting better is what RiseWithDrew is all about. Monday through Thursday, we explore ideas from authors, thought leaders, and exemplary organizations.
At the end of each week, we’re exploring the ideas from Tynan’s book Superhuman by Habit. We will begin with several weeks on the mechanics of building habits. What I like most about this book, however, are his suggestions for specific habits, which we will eventually cover.
To succeed in creating a new habit, “the very first tangible step,” he notes, “is understanding exactly why you’re drawn to it,”
Tynan recommends the following. On a piece of paper, write down these four sections:
- What good things will happen if I implement this habit?
- What bad things will happen if I implement this habit?
- What good things will happen if I don’t implement this habit?
- What bad things will happen if I don’t implement this habit?
Come up with real answers in all four categories. “You might be tempted to only list the motivating ones,” he notes, “but this will backfire because you will no longer trust your list. So write things in every section.”
Tynan recommends visualizing each outcome to feel the impact: Which do you want the most? Which are you most afraid of?
“Allowing your mind to really go through each item and imagine what life would be like under each circumstance, implementing the habit or not, creates a visceral drive to adopt the habit,” he notes.
To further strengthen your motivation, write yourself a note outlining why you plan to adopt the habit.
Another question to consider is whether, given the stress and uncertainty of the real world, your motivation will be as strong a month from now and a year from now.
“If the answer is no, do not start the habit, or at least scale the habit back in intensity,” Tynan suggests. “It’s far better to succeed at an easier habit and then build up from there.”
More next week!
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Reflection: Are you starting a new habit because you are truly motivated—or because you are temporarily excited?
Action: Before starting your next habit, write down the four outcomes Tynan recommends so you can clarify whether the habit is worth committing to long-term.
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