How To Stop the 5 Most Common Bad Habits That Are Holding You Back

You said last week you'd start walking every night, well, you told yourself that last month too but it never happened. That great idea for a book you wanted to write, or the exercise routine you wanted to start, or even just reading for 30 minutes a night. Why are all these seemingly simple tasks so hard to implement?
​     Most of us have fallen prey to the 5 most common bad habits that left unchecked, will end up controlling your life and holding you back. 

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Bad Habit #1
​ Stop Making Elaborate Plans You Know You Won't Stick To

​Why is that when starting something you have to make detailed plans of operations, time tables, schedules and minute by minute plays? Do you tell yourself that if you plan for it seriously enough, that you'll also implement it seriously ? Or is it that you are procrastinating doing the thing you know you must do by over planning? Because the fact remains that's it's easier to dream than it is to do, and somewhere inside you know that and in those elaborate plans you're making you know you are taking the easy way out.
​      You're making it so complicated that you're setting yourself up for failure, you're setting the bar so high, the more you prepare, the more daunting it becomes. The last I checked, none of us put that much effort into making our morning coffee or deciding when you'll shower. So why aren't you taking that same mindset of "just do it" with your goals of working out more or eating healthy? 

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Bad Habit #2
Realize That Implementing Something Small Is Just As Difficult As Implementing Something Large, So start Small

​Deciding to do 5 push-ups every morning can be as overwhelming as setting a goal to do 100. Why? Because it's less about the task at hand, and more about your commitment to get started on it, and keep doing it. Deciding to mediate every day for 30 minutes takes the same amount of energy to start as meditating for 3 minutes.
​      Don't focus on the enormity of the task, and just focus on starting it. Realize that it's the implementation of the task you're having a hard time with, not the task itself and you'll soon find yourself more focused, calm and prepared.  

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Bad Habit #3
​Stop Expecting Perfection From Yourself 

​What does success mean to you? Do you define it as perfection? Are you not pleased unless you've done a perfect job? Followed your plan to the letter, or completed it just as you planned? Well, I have bad news for you, there is no perfect. It's an imaginary standard you'll never meet and if you define your success by your perfection, you'll always fail yourself.
     "If I can't do it perfectly, I don't want to do it at all" is an excuse. It's far better to do something than nothing, so stop expecting perfection. It's impossible. 

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Bad Habit #4
​Stop Waiting For The Perfect Moment Or Mood

​It's been said many times, many different ways; if you are waiting on the perfect moment, it will never happen. And we know this, so why don't we apply it in our lives?
      You're giving too much power to your feelings, and last I checked you're in control of your mood and your feelings. So let me get this straight; you're in full control of your feelings and yet blame them for not creating the perfect moment? Who's in charge here? You are. You can either create the perfect time, or use the lack of it as an excuse to not accomplish your aspirations. You have all the power in the world, so stop waiting on the perfect moment and create it instead. 

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Bad Habit #5
​Stop Talking Yourself Out Of It

​Back to your choice on making coffee this morning. How much thought did you put into it? Did you have a long internal conversation about whether to double up the filters, or whether you need a 1/4 tsp more of coffee for the pot? No. You just got up, and made coffee. So why are you talking yourself out of your goals? Who is this other voice in your head that always says "it's not the right time" or "I'll do it after I...." ?
​      Stop allowing long drawn out conversations in your head to control whether you take action or not. When your inner "do it later" starts, or you find yourself suddenly needing to polish silverware instead of doing what you promised yourself... that's when you know you're talking yourself out of your mission. Implementing your goals is as easy as deciding to make coffee- if you can turn off the self talk.  

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​Don't let these 5 bad habits hold you back from your aspirations, if you have a dream, you have it because you are supposed to fulfill it, not just make excuses as to why you can't do them.
     I believe you were created stronger than that, smarter than that, and more powerful than you might be able to image. Conquer these common 5 bad habits and you're the one in the drivers seat; nothing can hold you back from starting what you've envisioned for yourself. 

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#BeYourOwnHero

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