If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. - Colin Powell
I had to take a break from writing on telegram and focus solely on the blog as my final exams were coming. Had written some articles and scheduled them.
After the exams were over. I had free time for 1 and a half months. I was happy. But then, I wasn't.
The first day, spend all the time watching TV and doing literally nothing. Wrote a little and read a little. There was no structure. At any given time, I was eating, sleeping and lost. I felt extremely bad deep down. I had wasted one day of my golden time.
Day 2, joined class. Again started reading (1 - 2 hours). Started getting ideas for blog posts. Written some and then discovered Substack and resumed writing there too. (and later on started writing here :))
So what I am trying to convey here? Notice the difference between Day 1 and Day 2. How my productivity dramatically increased? Even after 5 to 6 hours of class every day. I am achieving more things. But during the first day, I had the whole time. Whole 24 hours, but I achieved nothing.
Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations in advance of the event. - Brian Tracy
Key habit
The explanation to this is effectively done by Charles Duhigg. In his best-selling book, The Power of Habit.
He discussed with us the story of Lisa, who had just broken up with her husband. Shattered, after some days, to get a break she decided to visit pyramids.
At the hotel, there was a call for prayer from a nearby mosque. She reached for cigars, half blinded, she didn't realize and she was trying to light a pen.
Shattered. (Again) feeling aimless and depressed.
One day she left the hotel and taxi takes her to pyramids of Giza.
She realizes she needs a goal. She desperately needed to change something. One thing that she can control. One thing to work towards.
As long as habit and routine dictate the pattern of living, new dimensions of the soul will not emerge. - Henry Van Dyke
While returning in the taxi, she decided to trek through the desert. That's a crazy idea.
But for her, it didn't matter. She decides to prepare herself and to survive the harsh conditions of the desert, she knew bad habits need to go.
She quit smoking. And she didn't stop here. After some time, she had replaced smoking with jogging, started working, thriving in her career and running half marathons and then a marathon.
Changing one habit. No matter the size can put your life together.
She had made a small change and get everything others got to their appropriate state.
When I had started going class regularly, that had given my day a structure. Now I needed to build my writing, studies, reading and other things around it.
So make a small change now, you can do anything, small or big. But remember, tiny action beats the biggest concern.
Remember, you can't change yourself overnight. Start small. Just don't give up.
Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it. - Ralph Marston
Chetneet Chouhan
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Do not try to get learning material (books or online courses) for free. Not because its 'bad' but in a way, you are doing the harm for yourself. Decreased retention is one. There are many more reasons why. (Knowledge is free, And That's the Problem).
One of the best thing to focuse on is reading books. And why you should be a polymath. (Spoiler alert: Reading is required.) (Becoming A Polymath).
And please stop consuming random information or endlessly scroll down any of your social media infinte feed. Be conscious of what you consume. (Carefully Choose What You Consume on Internet).
Photo by Joe Taylor on Unsplash.