Day 20 — Magic Numbers
Real magic happens when you don’t give up.
It’s hard to believe that Day 20 has come and passed… 2/3rds of the way through my 30 Days, 66.7% complete… The 3rd part of the trilogy starts tomorrow.
From what I’ve heard, Days 14–16 are the part of any habit-forming venture where things get the most difficult and where if you can push through, you’ll arrive at your destination. Likewise, there’s also noise out there where Day 23 is where a habit is officially formed. But then, if you do some Googling you’ll find that all of what I just said is bunk, and someone else has a different answer backed by “science”…and then if you continue Googling, that “science” is debunked by more “science.”
Right… So yes, everyone either knows everything and the answers are constantly changing, study-by-study, or no one really knows anything definitively. Yea yea, of course we know some things, don’t get nitpicky, but when it comes to coffee, habits, caffeine, red meat, fat, non-fat, and a whole host of other things, it’s choose-your-own-conclusion then find the study you want to back it up.
So am I close to “forming habits” because I’ve hit some arbitrary numbers that some guy somewhere spit out after a couple studies? Well, there’s definitely something to be said for repetition, but truth be told, I don’t know and don’t really care.
If it helps you to keep doing something that you want to keep doing, then tell yourself that that arbitrary number is magic like that. If not, then don’t.
We are incredibly complex, beautifully unique creations and children of God. We don’t all think alike (although it sure seems more and more like a lot of people in society want us to), we aren’t all motivated by the same things, and we each know by common sense and experience that what works for one person with exercise, eating, sleep, and many other behaviors might not work for us. It does seem though, that we’re always looking for that shortcut, easy fix, or one-size-fits-all solution to whatever ails us.
If you’re looking for your diet, exercise routine, efficiency, career path to satisfy the deepest longings of your heart, you’ll be looking forever.. if you look for Jesus, you’ll find him and that is where you’ll find your peace. Forever.
The point is to keep trying. There is no magic to this. Life is hard, change is hard, and we gotta work to make it happen. But it’s not always about working harder, try smarter.
If you can’t control your eating by counting calories or can’t build up your cardio by running long-distances, don’t count calories or keep pounding your legs into the pavement, try something else — you’re not broken, the system you’re using is. Don’t ever tell yourself you can’t — that’s just another way of saying that you really don’t care or want to do what needs to be done to get there right now.
This 30 Days has been more than I could have ever imagined — it has been a life-changing experience to say the least. I hope in future posts to get into that in greater detail, but in many ways, I’m still wrapping my head around it. I could have never imagined that so much life, so much learning, and so much growth could be jam-packed into such an abbreviated segment of life, but it’s just a testament to what God can do in a person’s life. One of my prayers every morning has been for God to give me the strength to accomplish the goals that I’ve set out for these 30 Days, and he has not let me down once… instead, he’s given me that power, and then some, to do more than I thought I really could ever do in such a short amount of time.
When I started this project 20 days ago, I could feel that I was stepping into something that for me would be pretty big. I worried that I was attempting too much, and that I’d quickly become miserable and want to quit. Instead, the opposite has happened, and I know that’s because God is blessing my efforts because I’m trying to do these things for the right reasons.
If you’re scared to try because you’re scared to fail, that’s ok, you probably should be. But if you’re someone who believes what I believe, that’s an opportunity for you and the people around you to see the power that God has to transform lives. You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish if you will only just try.
If you’re thinking about doing something like this 30 Days, but you’re nervous, talk to people around you about your nervousness, put it out there, be vulnerable. Then pray about it, make sure your heart is in the right place. Then just go. Do it. Step out there in faith.
Then tell me about it — seeing your success will be incredibly encouraging.
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Quote of the Day
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
~Joseph 1:9
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Links to Past Episodes/Resources:
Introduction Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10
Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19
Manfield’s Book of Manly Men: An Utterly Invigorating Guide to Being Your Most Masculine Self
If you have any feedback, please send me a message or leave it on my Facebook page: Thirty Days. This is a new project and I’d love to hear your thoughts. It is a tremendous encouragement to know that someone is reading this. Encouragement, comments AND criticism are welcome.
