How to start a new habit…again
Habits are hard to start and even harder to break, typically. But it’s not your fault. It’s often a result of the wrong process to start or break such actions. Have you ever started budgeting but missed a month or two and then gave up? Maybe you worked really hard to control your spending but you had a lapse and the next thing you knew the credit card was pulled out again every day.
It’s very easy to get frustrated when we miss our goal. We get off track when something happens that deviates us from our intent and mission. We know life isn’t perfect, but it always seems like something pops up that makes our goals difficult to attain and our habits impossible to create or break.
We know perfection isn’t possible, but imperfection seems to have an even bigger impact on our mindset. We believe if we can’t stay consistent everyday, every time, we can never accomplish the goal.
James Clear, author of the book “Atomic Habits”, reminds us of a simple rule that can help us get past the fear of failure and forgive ourselves for the imperfection we face on a regular basis.
The rule is “Never Miss Twice”. It applies that it’s normal, almost even acceptable at times, to miss a habit. But what keep you from actually failing it to Never Miss Twice.
James says, “If I miss one day, I try to get back into it as quickly as possible. Missing one workout happens, but I’m not going to miss two in a row. Maybe I’ll eat an entire pizza, but I’ll follow it up with a healthy meal. I can’t be perfect, but I can avoid a second lapse. As soon as one streak ends, I get started on the next one.”
Don’t worry if you miss getting your budget done before the month starts. Just don’t miss an entire month of budgeting. Don’t worry if you have a lapse in your spending and splurge on some clothes. Just don’t make it a routine every time you go to the store. Your habits will never be perfect, but your motivation SHOULD be. And more importantly, you’re failure should be fuel to start again and try harder.
James continues, “The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.”
If you need help breaking bad habits and creating new ones, schedule a free consultation and I’ll help you develop a plan for creating Atomic Habits that create financial freedom! Click here to schedule your free call.