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In comparatively good 2020 news, this was the first year I've made a New Year resolution, and I can confirm I kept it through today. Since most resolutions are abandoned by Valentine's Day, I thought I'd write a little something here about my method for sticking with this one: 1/
This was the year I worked on core fitness. I have, my entire life, *hated* any form of ab exercise. I like every other kind of strength training. I like running. I try to stretch. But I have always cut corners on working those important core muscles. 2/
So my goal for 2020 was to *make a habit* of ab/core exercise. Starting in January, I had to do 10 crunches/day, five days/week. I kept a log to make sure I stayed honest about skip days: 2 per week. 3/
The number of crunches went up 10 per month. In February, it was 20/day, 5 days per week. In March, 30, and so on. As the number went up I spread the reps into elevated crunches, bicycles, lower-back reps, etc. I'm now at 120/day. 4/
Now, here is the relevant part: doing 10 per day was strategically trivial. It was a deliberately modest goal because the resolution was *habit formation*, not even really the exercises, per se. 5/
It is really hard to rationalize that 10 crunches is too much without feeling like a lazy bum. But after a month of doing that every day, it becomes hard *not* to stick with the plan to add just 10 more. The slow, marginal increases facilitate habit formation. 6/
And now, at the end of the year, 600 crunches a week seems like a lazy goal. Those of you who are fitness geeks probably do more than that enthusiastically. But if I'd started at the level I would have lasted a week, maybe. 7/
(In case this comes off too braggy: 2020 has absolutely destroyed my physical fitness in most other dimensions. On top of my ripped abs is a new layer of fat.) 8/
Anyway, whether it's for a resolution or something else, I've always found strategic habit formation is the best way to do something you don't want to do.
Take writing, for example. 9/
Take writing, for example. 9/
I don't like writing. I especially hate revising after an R&R. And if I tell myself "it's time to buckle down and crank this out," I fail. I can't just decide one day I'm going to write my fingers off if I haven't been writing much already. 10/
Instead, I have to break writing up into units so small that I can't rationalize stopping, and do a little every day. Even if I have to teach, or go to a bunch of meetings, I can write *two sentences.* I can add a missing citation. I can add an appendix figure. 11/
That's the main way I get things done. A little each day. And if you really do a bit each day, then your perception of what is a small amount of work will drift upward, and your productivity will accelerate without it even feeling like it. 12/
If you actually *like* writing (or crunches, or whatever), you probably don't need this advice. But for things you don't like, habit formation is hard. 13/
So make the habit, not the thing you want to habituate to, the goal. And have a Happy 2021. 14/14
