Its Easier To Be 100% Committed To Something Than To Be 98%.

This is the only way to make your habits stick permanently.

Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash

In November 2020, I decided to change my habits completely, like not gradually but completely at one shot. I remember how fed up I was with my life overall, addicted to porn, food, entertainment, and anything that provides dopamine rush.

I needed to change my habits, so I removed all these bad habits and replaced them with habits like exercising four times a week, waking up early, abstinence from porn, meditation. I deleted all my social media accounts, even set a lock on Youtube and Netflix.

I know what you are thinking; doing everything at once often leads to complete failure; even I kind of knew when I started that this wouldn’t last for more than a week. But I don’t know-how; as the days progressed, it all started to feel easier. I began to build momentum, and these habits slowly became a part of me.

I followed every habit for 90 days, and I felt that I have made these habits stick permanently. So I thought, why not let my mind feel a bit relaxed and start consuming all the things in a limit. And that changed everything; one hour became two to four, six, and then I was back to where I started. It happened quickly.

I understood how it was all about commitment, not 90%, not 95%; it’s about 100% commitment. If you want to make life-altering changes to your life, you must commit 100%; there should be no way back, you have to shut the curiosity that tells you to do it just one time or just a little bit because that little bit becomes every bit.

Do this to make your habits stick permanently:-

1. Leave no way back. Just block out all the possible distractions or the things that could lead you to a potential slip away. If you are trying to eat healthily, then throw all the chocolates and anything that you shouldn’t eat and replace them with fruits and healthy items.
2. Take it slow. We often hurry things as if we are going to die in a few years. Don’t rush and think of the long-term picture. Even if you do a little every day, you can be completely different from what you are now.
3. Momentum is everything. Habits are nothing but momentum. When you do things day after day, you build the momentum necessary to keep the streak going. That’s how you create good habits and follow the same process to create good ones. Don’t miss a single day no matter what. If on some days you are not able to do 100%, then just do 10%, do it for 10 minutes. Showing up every day will maintain your consistency and will build a streak that will keep you motivated.
4. Align your habits with a big goal. Your goal can be anything as long as it keeps you motivated, if your goal is to become a writer, then you can align the habit of eating healthy and exercising as these habits keep your mind at their peak and are essential for writing better. In this way, you can connect your habits with your main goal, which will give you a reason not to break those habits.
5. Never skip more than two days. Missing more than two days is literally a death of your habits. Make sure you follow this rule no matter what. If you can do this, then it becomes easier to build habits.

I know it feels so overwhelming when you start making changes. It feels hard to keep going, but it gets better indeed. Also, you don’t need to change everything at once ( I eventually failed to make it all stick) but change one habit at a time.

If you just stick to 2–3 habits, then you are sure to be in a completely different version of yourself after six months to 1 year.