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.
- 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
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'.
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.