Journal + Exercise: The 21-day Challenge (10 minutes)
Now that you’ve learned how the brain works in the context of habit formation and you’ve learned how to start good habits and kick bad habits, it’s time you put your learning to action.
Take 15 minutes to journal. Make two lists:
- a list of bad habits that you’d like to stop doing and
- a list of good habits that you’d like to start doing.
Once you have two lists you feel good about, pick one item from either the start or stop list that you will commit 30 days to. Once you’ve chosen the item – start getting in shape, for example – determine a goal that is measurable and attainable and then put it into an “I will…” statement. For example, “I will walk for 10 minutes around my neighborhood every morning before work.”
Here’s an exercise document (PDF) to guide your journey.
OPTIONAL: To up the stakes, find a colleague and create a ‘Commitment Device” with them.
