As the new year begins, most of us have set goals, often ones that we failed to achieve last year. To make this year different and reach our goals, identify the key habit that will bring about the most significant change and produce the desired outcomes. The key to success lies in consistently practicing this habit. Once we develop the discipline, achieving our goals becomes a matter of time.

For instance, let's take learning a new programming language as an example. The key habit to reach that goal could be watching tutorials of a course that teaches that language and then applying that knowledge by solving problems & exercises. By committing to this habit regularly, such as dedicating 2 hours each day, 5 days a week, I can ensure that I'll eventually master that language and even predict the finishing day and set a deadline, which will further increase the chances of achieving that goal.

However, most of us struggle to build a new habit and stick to it. In this article, I will share a method that I've personally found useful for staying consistent, along with other valuable tips.

Keep Your Brain Occupied with the Current Step

The main idea is to create a ritual and perform each step of it without thinking. Establishing a ritual involves following a daily routine that includes your key habit. The purpose of making it a repeated ritual is to avoid wasting unnecessary energy on figuring out how to do it each time.

Once you have identified the key habit and established a ritual around it, your focus should be on protecting that ritual. Eventually, you will wake up one day and realize that you have reached your goal. Avoid overthinking and just act. I have noticed that when I allow my brain to think about what I have to do, I tend to procrastinate. However, by silencing my mind and promptly moving on to the next step, whether it's clarified in my head or written on my to-do list, I keep getting things done. Plan, execute, and remind yourself that it's as simple as that. The more you complicate or dwell on it, the greater the chance of procrastination.

The Importance of Showing Up (Just jump into it)

"To change the course of your life, choose one of two basic methods:

1. You can direct your energy and attention toward trying to fix your mind, find your focus, affirm your power, free your emotions, and visualize positive outcomes. This will help you finally develop the confidence, display the courage, discover the determination, make the commitment, and feel sufficiently motivated to do what it is you need to do."

2. Or you can just do it."

I find this approach helpful to do anything. I've always used this approach when taking cold showers even in winter. I turn on the shower as quickly as possible and immerse my whole body before giving my brain a chance to pull me away. My body adapts to the cold water temperature quickly, and I no longer perceive it as being unpleasant. In fact, it often feels refreshing and left up my mood. Despite knowing this, I still feel hesitant every time I'm about to shower. However, by taking the leap and not giving myself time to delay or overthink, I eliminate the prolonged mental resistance.

Similar to any other task, counting down from 3 and diving into it is an effective strategy. Once you start, continuing becomes much easier. Our brains prefer to stay engaged with a task rather than starting and stopping repeatedly. Therefore, summon your willpower to initiate the task, knowing that you will require less willpower to sustain it. Showing up consistently is the most crucial element for success in accomplishing our goals.

Helpful tip: Prepare your tools.

Preparing your tools in advance can be extremely beneficial. Simply seeing my computer and study notes prepared on my clear desk reduces the resistance to start studying. Similarly, when it comes to exercise, having the mat and working out equipment in sight, ready to just be pulled off to start exercising helped me stay consistent with working out.

Additional helpful tips:

1. Make the habit enjoyable to foster intrinsic motivation. when you have intrinsic motivation, you'll rarely resort to willpower to do that habit. These are some tips to help you do that:

• Identify aspects of the activity that you genuinely like or can find enjoyment in.

• Aim for a state of flow by setting the habit difficulty slightly above your current skill level. Additionally, choose a time and place where you know you won't be interrupted, as interruptions waste time and energy, disrupting your flow and worsening your mood as a result.

  1. If you miss doing the habit, take a pencil and paper and reflect on the reasons why. Writing it down allows your brain to think about it for a sufficient amount of time, helping you come up with creative solutions to avoid repeating the same mistake.

  2. When establishing a new habit, visualize yourself successfully engaging in it at least once. This visualization enhances the likelihood of actually following through with the habit. It helps clarify the steps in your mind and makes them seem more achievable to our brains. (it's a weirdly highly effective method)

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies and tips, you can enhance your consistency and overcome procrastination, ultimately increasing your chances of achieving your goals. Remember, the key lies in taking action and maintaining a focused mindset. Although it may not be easy, the results are always worth the effort; Stay committed and enjoy the journey.

And if you have any tips you've personally found useful, please share them as we can all benefit from each other.