#32

Welcome to Week #32

What whisper did you hear from #31?

How many can’ts did you turn into cans?

Are you awake to the cubic centimetre of opportunity that will show up for you?

Have you forgiven yourself for the worst thing you’ve done?

And when you considered the worst thing you’ve done, did you find out what’s missing within you?

What’s struck me this week?

1. Building a new habit - small is good

Over the last 18 months, I’ve become much better at building new, albeit small, habits. I’ve taken the advice and counsel of many habit-forming gurus and ensured the habit I’ve been trying to develop is a small one (e.g. sending my Mum a picture every day or investing time in stillness by meditating). One aspect has struck me over the last few weeks.

The smaller the better – I’ve worked out that 2 minutes of stillness or meditation is the minimum I can commit to on any given day. If I’m in a good space, made some time then I can meditate for longer but when I’m rushed, stressed, feeling overwhelmed then 2 minutes is the minimum amount of space I feel I can afford. On occasions I’ve been prone to forget in the busyness of my days. The consequence of it being really small – everyone has 2 minutes of their day to invest – is that whenever I remember I can complete the task with ease but it only takes a short amount of time. So whilst 2 minutes might not be enough time to settle my nervous system. 2 minutes can be enough for me to continue to lay the habit foundations. If I’ve forgotten throughout the day and I suddenly remember – the fact that it’s only 2 minutes makes it far easier to do there and then rather than put it off to when you have the time. Once the habit is fully built then I can extend the minimum amount I’m prepared to commit to.

So, when building a new habit consider the smallest possible task you could complete that would keep the consistency going – whether you have the time or not.

 
2. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)

BNPL stocks are surging throughout the world. Ironically, it’s not how success is built.

There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Success is built over time. Doing the dull repetitive stuff. Continuing through the grind despite the feeling. Laying the groundwork so you can benefit later. I’d encourage investment in another kind of BNPL stock.

Try the Build Now Profit Later approach.

Or the PNBL philosophy – Pay Now Benefit Later.

 
3. Quote of the week – Some habit quotes I've enjoyed

"First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not" Octavia Butler

"Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken" Warren Buffet

"Be not afraid of going slowly. Be afraid only of standing still" Chinese proverb

"It’s never too late to change old habits" Florence Griffith Joyner

"Habits are not a finish line to be crossed but a lifestyle to be lived" James Clear

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks. I do fear the man who has practiced 1 kick 10,000 times" Bruce Lee

4. Question of the week – Are your habits sustaining a previous self or building a new self?

Hard to fathom sometimes as our habits are, by their nature, unconscious. Even checking yourself – is this helping a future me? - as often as possible might be the habit circuit breaker required to begin the cumulative and compound effect of new habit building.

 
5. Freedom Fridays - Moving from I have to, to I choose to

My intention is to openly share a change I’m making within my life. I’m hoping you can take the lessons learnt and apply them to any change you want to make.

This week I chat with a dear friend and colleague Dr. Clark Perry who was the Australian Swimming Team psychologist for 4 Olympic Games. Clark shares some fascinating insights about what it’s like to maintain or shift a winning identity and some of the mental health questions being raised by some high-profile athletes.

Check out Episode #30.

That’s all for this week and I hope you enjoyed Weekly Whisper #32.

Feedback is my fuel so if you have any comments please send me an email at [email protected] and let me know your thoughts.

Cheers

Pete