I’ve always heard that if you do anything for 21 days it will form into a habit.  I don’t believe it.

Don’t get me wrong, I certainly believe that doing something over a long period of time becomes easier in many ways but does it really set a habit? 

Once again, I’ve just returned from my morning workout - something I’ve been doing 6-days a week for almost a year and Joi has been doing it for years and as usual… my mind was thinking.

Every day our alarm goes off at 5:55 am and we drag ourselves out of bed and head to the gym where we share a few yawns and a little sweat with the same folks we see every morning.  No matter how long I do this - it’s as hard as the first and some days it’s even harder. 

Since I’ve been doing this for much longer than 21-days you would think it would be a habit right?  I’m not sure that’s the case because I’m pretty sure that without a few other tricks I would be sleeping in with a big smile on my face.

No, I think we get up early because we’re in the habit of going to bed by 10 pm - if only because we know how soon that alarm will be going off.  It could be because we tend to eat right the night before… if only because we know it’ll be much easier to workout without heartburn or a hangover.  Maybe we get up because we know how bad we will feel if we don’t!… and sometimes we rise because we know how good we’ll feel after our workout.

And there are those goals.  You know.. lose weight, shape up, feel great, buy some new clothes, look great on my honeymoon?  The powerful pull of goals could be the real reason.

So, can you set a habit in 21-days and do you need to be successful?  I’m not sure and I’ll let you figure it out.  For me… I like to think a habit is set the instant you MUST have change and allow the pull of your goals to set in motion a chain of events that add up to great habits.  Just a thought.

By the way… I had the chance to meet up with one of our Motivation To Move Premium Members.  Judd is a PGA instructor from Ohio and was in town for the big PGA convention.  He took me up on my open invitation to share a cup of coffee and conversation at a local Starbuck’s.  Great to meet you Judd.