What Small Step Can You Take Today?

Do you have a vision or goals for your life? Do you set intentions for the way you want things to be? Does it often seem like the completion of those goals is far away?

If meeting your goals feels far away, and you feel like you aren't making tangible progress, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to keep going. That is why so many people give up on New Year's Resolutions by February. Often, it can take more time to feel like you have made progress, or to see results.

It can be difficult to stay motivated when you don't see big results right away. That is why it is so important to build up habits, so that you will keep going even when you don't feel motivated, and even when you aren't seeing results.

A habit is something like taking a shower every morning, or brushing your teeth before bed. It is something that is part of your routine that you do every day without thinking about it. It is a non-negotiable part of your day.

Habits can keep you going when motivation fails.

No one is going to feel motivated all the time. But, if you have gotten into the habit of getting up every day and going for a run, you will just get your shoes on and go without putting thought into it. You will go whether you feel motivated or not. And that is the key towards making progress.

Once you turn action into your goals into a habit, it will come naturally. You won't need to feel motivated to do the things you need to do. You will just automatically do them without putting so much thought into it.

According to Psych Central,

Habit formation can take an average of 59 to 70 days. According to a 2021 studyTrusted Source, it can take about 59 days until a new habit becomes automatic. Further stating that implementing routine-based and time-based cues help to increase the chances of habit formation.

This is why it is so important to take some action towards your goals every day. The more days in a row you can work towards your goal, the sooner this action will turn into a habit.

It always takes more effort at the beginning than any other time, because at the beginning you haven't formed the new habit yet. That is why it is so important to make some action every day.

If you want to start working out for example, then you want to make it as easy as possible to go for that run every day. Set out your shoes the night before. Keep yourself accountable. And, reward yourself for sticking to it. When our brains receive a reward, we are more likely to complete the action in the future.

The important thing is, don't give up before your new habit is in place. Because once it is, then things will flow more smoothly, and you will naturally get up and do the things you need to do without even thinking about it. It will become a natural part of your day.