A Fun Way To Get Better Habits

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

This is for all my friends, coaching clients, partners and everyone who says, “I have a hard time getting better habits.”

I’m not going to tell you why you should have better. You already know that.

I’m just going to give you an example of what’s possible when you get one better habit in particular.

And then you can fit it into your own life.

Like most adults I have a cup of coffee in the morning.

(Sidenote: I didn’t start drinking coffee until last year. Before that I could can’t on two hands the number of cups I had in my life.)

But I also know the importance of drinking water. At least eight glasses a day.

Most people don’t do that. As fitness conscious as I am, I usually don’t.

And my body was telling me in some not very comfortable ways I wasn’t drinking enough.

So being a guy who likes to find the most direct route to the thing I want, I create a better habit for myself.

I don’t want to give up my coffee. It tastes good and gives me a happy little jolt of caffeine.

So here’s the ritual while I’m waiting the couple of minutes for the coffee to get ready…

1. I wash out my mug. Same mug every time. See above.

(And by the way, if you ever want to see an example of good habits repeated over and over again for an organization that really knows how to take care of business, find anyone in the United States Marines. And thank you Sergeant Steele for my way cool coffee mug!)

2. While the coffee is doing its thing, I fill that mug two thirds of the way – about 10 ounces with water.

3. I chug it down.

4. If there’s any extra time I do the Church Lady Superior Dance.

Kidding on the Superior Dance part. But I do have a strange and silly sense of accomplishment.

By the time that whole ritual is over, the coffee is just about ready.

Now I drink it with a sense that I did something right.

Get it? Instead of making betters habits into extra work, or something I dread, I turn them into a game.

Now it’s fun.

And when you think about it, wouldn’t you like to have more fun in your life?

Don’t you think better habits should be about fun and not misery?

Don’t you think having better habits would lead to better achievement?

Don’t you think having better habits would make you more attractive to other people?

Yeah Baby!

Find some ways to bring yourself to better habits.

If you want to steal that one, feel free!

But if you do the Superior Dance, I want pictures!

And by the way, in case you need more reasons for this particular habit, here’s why:

1. Drinking Water Helps Maintain the Balance of Body Fluids.

2. Water Can Help Control Calories.

3. Water Helps Energize Muscles. (and energy is the reason we go for the coffee in the first place)

4. Water Helps Keep Skin Looking Good.

5. Water Helps Your Kidneys.

6. Water Helps Maintain Normal Bowel Function.

(Courtesy of WebMD.com)

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