When I present at conferences on the importance of creating change in your own life I talk about the importance of daily habits and routines that help me optimize my outfit and efficiency. Managing six separate brands, while still having a life I desire to live, is not an easy task after all.
However when I tell people that legendary change is made through doing small things that will culminate overtime I get some push back.
“It can’t be that simple.”
“That can’t actually help.”
It can. It does.
But as simple as what I am about to share with you is, it is far from easy to do consistently, non-negotiably over time.
Let me share a quote from Aristotle, “character is built through habit.” Thus in order to build character, one must do it habitually. Everything you do has to become a habit – that is how character is built.
When I get up in the morning I go on a 10-20 minute jog around my neighborhood (or whatever area I am in). To be clear, this is not my main workout for the day. This is something I do first thing (before social media, coffee or life). I will be honest, it is the last thing I want to do at that time. But I force myself to do it, I force myself to do something difficult (mentally) that I don’t want to do. When I finish I ALWAYS feel better. Why? Because I just won a battle against my own resistance. The next battle will always be easier.
Then, before I still satisfy my urge to be online, I set meditate and journal. With the weather being so amazing in the morning I have been doing this out on my back patio and it has easily become my favorite part of the day.
After that I will pick up a book to read a bit to expand my mind while I drink my coffee (yes I can have coffee now). Anything I feel I have learned I will record as a note in my journal or phone.
Then I eat a healthy breakfast from my meal plan and jump on the shower. My first setting on the shower is cold – literally as cold as I can make it. Then I allow myself to fight the cold water and adapt. I have a minimum threshold I force myself to hit, and then after that I will see how long I can go before I reward myself with hot water.
Then I allow myself to start my work day.
When I talk to my coaching clients they will even ask “how can you get all this done before you even start your day? I can’t do that myself. I am too busy. And also screw you and your cold showers!” Okay I am exaggerating a bit there.
However, I don’t want to insult them by reminding them that I still manage to run six companies on top of all this. But let me give you an example of a critically busy day I had.
Both my wife and I were recently presenting at the IGNITE520 conference in Tucson. I got up with the sun and went for my jog. As soon as I got home I was on the back patio meditating for 20 minutes. Then I journaled a few pages of thoughts and recapping my dreams from the night before. I then sipped my hot coffee and read two chapters from this book I had been enjoying. I got up to make us both breakfast and then took my cold shower before I got dressed.
After getting dressed I started writing down concepts for an article I wanted to release while my wife finished getting ready.
Once she was done we got in the car and on the road. It was only 7:45 in the morning.
Let me go back to that quote from Aristotle. “Character is built through habit.”
I have built daily habits for my body (working out and properly fueling), for my mind (meditating and journaling), for my relationships (expressing gratitude for them every day) and for my business (learning and teaching). All of these are done, non-negotiably, every single day of my life.
That is my intention. So now your turn. What habits can you build now that will help you develop your character?
James Patrick
jamespatrick.com
IG @jpatrickphoto
