obsession -> habit
something that self-help / habit formation books seem to miss is that you have to become obsessed with something before it becomes a habit.
when I look back at some habits I've formed or broken, they were sparked out of obsession. the key in my experience for creating or breaking any habit is just obsession. none of the advice in those books ever worked for me, because I never went 'all-in'.
- I obsessed over the gym for months, working out is something I do every day now.
- I would research exercises, pay for a PT, buy programs online, and even do some courses on musculoskeletal systems.
- I obsessed over quitting weed, and I've now gone cold turkey for a significant amount of time.
- I read lots of anecdotal advice and speak to people who had done it to see what the other side could look like
- I obsessed over steps per day and how it affects my health & well being - I rarely ever get below 8K steps now.
- I obsessed over learning databases, and now I get paid to play with data
- I obsessed over the benefits of deep work and time management and I now conduct deep work on a daily basis
some things that I am obsessing over (or at least, trying to):
- writing simply & clearly
- running
- studying
- ironic, because I used to hate studying in school. it's much more fun without a deadline, because it's being done for it's own sake.