"IF YOU FEEL STRONG RESISTANCE, BACK OFF AND GO SMALLER" (Stephen Guise Mini Habits; Smaller Habits, Bigger Results)
I woke up feeling anxious, down, and discouraged about running and celloing this morning so I didn't want to get out of bed. I let myself sleep in a little, then took my supplements and started journaling. My wonderful husband brought me some caffeinated tea and made me an egg for breakfast. I have a book by my bed I started reading many months ago and picked it up today and was struck so much by this statement: "IF YOU FEEL STRONG RESISTANCE, BACK OFF AND GO SMALLER"... I read several pages in this book and it turned my attitude around completely.
Firstly, some mistakes last week...
Another principle in the book is "BE HAPPY WITH ALL PROGRESS". "REWARD YOURSELF OFTEN..." In my effort to motivate myself last week I put out a reward. I practiced 10 hours which was more than I had in a long time. It was huge progress. And I worked hard at specific goals and made a lot of progress! I worked hard on days I felt sick and sad and I got a lot done! But I focused on not making my goal at the end of the week instead of celebrating. I punished myself because I didn't quite get there... Gene pointed out that I needed to reward myself for all that work not just focus on the final two hours I didn't do. His friend likes to say: "ITS NOT HOW MUCH YOU DO ITS HOW MUCH YOU GET DONE". Also on this thought from Guise is the rule: "PUT EXTRA ENERGY AND AMBITION TOWARD BONUS REPS, NOT A BIGGER REQUIREMENT. IF YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO MAKE BIG PROGRESS, POUR THAT ENERGY INTO YOUR BONUS REPS. BIGGER REQUIREMENTS LOOK GOOD ON PAPER, BUT ONLY ACTION COUNTS. BE THE PERSON WITH EMBARRASSING GOALS (as in so small) AND IMPRESSIVE RESULTS INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE WITH IMPRESSIVE GOALS AND EMBARRASSING RESULTS." "BEING HAPPY WITH SMALL PROGRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM HAVING LOW STANDARDS".
Because I wanted to increase my time practicing and increase my productivity and commitment to my goal, I increased the requirement of time spent. This helped me to prioritize cello last week, but it also put success on time rather than getting to the instrument at all... On Saturday I would have practiced some if I had not had the two hour deficit in mind. Instead I did none. Yesterday when I did 25 minutes at the end of my day I considered it not very good instead of being happy with the good work I did that furthered my progress through the Finzi concerto, and continuing the habit so I would be ready to work today.
Today I woke up feeling incapable, but as soon as I thought about little goals, impossibly stupidly small goals I was ready to go! Excited, even. This morning I got my cello out just to do anything and I was happy about that. A scale was my goal. What actually happened is that I jumped directly into Finzi first movement and have been practicing in a very targeted way in small steps. Only what feels attainable. "WHEN IT SOUNDS STUPID, THAT MEANS YOUR BRAIN IS GIVING THE GO-AHEAD. THESE "STUPPID SMALL" STEPS SLIDE UNDER THE BRAINS RADAR LIKE AN EXPERT JEWEL THIEF AVOIDS SECURITY CAMERAS AND TRIP SENSORS." As I go I make a list of additional small steps... even ones that feel too stupid to put on a list, so when I go back to my cello after writing this I have ideas... nothing so overwhelming as 'practice for three hours', 'learn the next page of Finzi concerto', or 'practice well'... but precise action steps towards progress. Today I won't be keeping a timer of my minutes. I've already made my goal, its all extra reps from here!
"EVERY GIANT ACCOMPLISHMENT IS MADE UP OF VERY SMALL STEPS ANYWAY, AND TO TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME IS NOT NOT WEAK, BUT PRECISE."
I woke up feeling anxious, down, and discouraged about running and celloing this morning so I didn't want to get out of bed. I let myself sleep in a little, then took my supplements and started journaling. My wonderful husband brought me some caffeinated tea and made me an egg for breakfast. I have a book by my bed I started reading many months ago and picked it up today and was struck so much by this statement: "IF YOU FEEL STRONG RESISTANCE, BACK OFF AND GO SMALLER"... I read several pages in this book and it turned my attitude around completely.
Firstly, some mistakes last week...
Another principle in the book is "BE HAPPY WITH ALL PROGRESS". "REWARD YOURSELF OFTEN..." In my effort to motivate myself last week I put out a reward. I practiced 10 hours which was more than I had in a long time. It was huge progress. And I worked hard at specific goals and made a lot of progress! I worked hard on days I felt sick and sad and I got a lot done! But I focused on not making my goal at the end of the week instead of celebrating. I punished myself because I didn't quite get there... Gene pointed out that I needed to reward myself for all that work not just focus on the final two hours I didn't do. His friend likes to say: "ITS NOT HOW MUCH YOU DO ITS HOW MUCH YOU GET DONE". Also on this thought from Guise is the rule: "PUT EXTRA ENERGY AND AMBITION TOWARD BONUS REPS, NOT A BIGGER REQUIREMENT. IF YOU'RE ANXIOUS TO MAKE BIG PROGRESS, POUR THAT ENERGY INTO YOUR BONUS REPS. BIGGER REQUIREMENTS LOOK GOOD ON PAPER, BUT ONLY ACTION COUNTS. BE THE PERSON WITH EMBARRASSING GOALS (as in so small) AND IMPRESSIVE RESULTS INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE WITH IMPRESSIVE GOALS AND EMBARRASSING RESULTS." "BEING HAPPY WITH SMALL PROGRESS IS DIFFERENT FROM HAVING LOW STANDARDS".
Because I wanted to increase my time practicing and increase my productivity and commitment to my goal, I increased the requirement of time spent. This helped me to prioritize cello last week, but it also put success on time rather than getting to the instrument at all... On Saturday I would have practiced some if I had not had the two hour deficit in mind. Instead I did none. Yesterday when I did 25 minutes at the end of my day I considered it not very good instead of being happy with the good work I did that furthered my progress through the Finzi concerto, and continuing the habit so I would be ready to work today.
Today I woke up feeling incapable, but as soon as I thought about little goals, impossibly stupidly small goals I was ready to go! Excited, even. This morning I got my cello out just to do anything and I was happy about that. A scale was my goal. What actually happened is that I jumped directly into Finzi first movement and have been practicing in a very targeted way in small steps. Only what feels attainable. "WHEN IT SOUNDS STUPID, THAT MEANS YOUR BRAIN IS GIVING THE GO-AHEAD. THESE "STUPPID SMALL" STEPS SLIDE UNDER THE BRAINS RADAR LIKE AN EXPERT JEWEL THIEF AVOIDS SECURITY CAMERAS AND TRIP SENSORS." As I go I make a list of additional small steps... even ones that feel too stupid to put on a list, so when I go back to my cello after writing this I have ideas... nothing so overwhelming as 'practice for three hours', 'learn the next page of Finzi concerto', or 'practice well'... but precise action steps towards progress. Today I won't be keeping a timer of my minutes. I've already made my goal, its all extra reps from here!
"EVERY GIANT ACCOMPLISHMENT IS MADE UP OF VERY SMALL STEPS ANYWAY, AND TO TAKE THEM ONE AT A TIME IS NOT NOT WEAK, BUT PRECISE."
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