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Mini Habits Update 5

Just start small and be consistent
In my continuing reading of the book, Mini Habits, you can probably tell 2 things. 1-that I'm taking my time reading it, because I'm reading other things, as well and 2-I'm using the Mini Habits philosophy in carrying out the task of reading it, because I'm checking in with you from time to time. That means I read a little bit everyday. The Mini Habits book is 125 pages and I'm on around page 54 so I have no idea when I will finish, but I will finish and I will continue to update you periodically as promised. 

Regarding will power and staying on track with whatever the tasks (habits) are at hand that we're trying to develop and remain consistent, the following are the five main causes of ego-depletion or will power depletion according to Guise (albeit will power still remains superior to motivation, however, since we're not robots we can still run out of will power):

Effort
"Mini habits require very little actual effort. This is a natural structure that greatly reduces the chance for burnout (p. 49). My translation: Mini habits are not that bad, because you're starting "stupid small" as Guise says. We can develop great and healthy habits with minimal effort if we choose to. I'm trying to get up to 30 full-body push-ups everyday. Right now I can do 10 every day. There was a short time ago when I couldn't even do one.

Perceived Difficulty 
"Mini habits have almost zero perceived difficulty by design. Setting mini goals is the best way to drop the perceived difficulty in any project. Once you start and are free to continue, your perceived difficulty will be much lower due to the psychological impact of having already started. Just like in physics, the greatest inertia comes before the start of motion. Once you're in motion, everything gets easier as a result of momentum", ie, increased motivation (p. 49). My translation: Whatever that habit is we want to accomplish, can be accomplished if we change our attitude about it. I'm forcing myself to read everyday and I started with reading a little bit of the things I want to read. I didn't put a time frame on it yet. I'm still at just-got-to-read stage. That's good enough for now.

Negative Affects 
"Negative affect simply means the experience of unpleasant feelings" (p. 50); "even if you're replacing a pleasure with a mini habit, the commitment is so small that you won’t feel negative affect from it" (p. 51). My translation: Instead of watching TV or Netflix (the pleasure), and replacing that with going out to run, the "negative feeling" we start getting from the thought of running won't be so bad, because we will begin to see great results. I'm trying to walk at least 15-20 minutes per day (trying).

Subjective Fatigue
"Will power is a battle of the mind, and according to some of these top willpower drainers, the battle appears to be between the perception of your strength relative to your task." "Subjective fatigue depends on many factors, and a big one is how you see yourself stacking up against your goal" (p. 51). My translation: See yourself successful; picture it; do it, and stay with it. Just start small, is all. Don't try to do 10 crunches if you're not in that shape. Just start with 1 a day and the results will come.

Blood Glucose Levels
"Glucose (sugar) is your primary energy source. If you have low glucose in your blood, you're going to feel very tired. If it's dangerously low, you can even pass out. Your blood sugar levels are determined by genetics, diet, and lifestyle" (p. 52); "and if you're tired from low blood sugar, mini habits give you the best chance to take action anyway" (p 53). My translation: Stay away from that junk food. Sugar is in alot of stuff. Starting with a healthy habit is a start. Just start with something small. I'm trying not to eat chocolate that much (I absolutely love it). So I will just buy it maybe once per month. The good news for me is that I love dark chocolate (I'm smiling big right now). 

We can do something if we start small -- "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).  

Nothing's changed.


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