Start Doing. Stop Doing. | BrianAyers.net
So simple, but true!
It seems like resolutions fall into two categories: Start doing. & Stop doing.
What I’ve personally found is that resolutions only work when a ‘stop doing‘ also has a corresponding ‘start doing.’ …and vise versa.
So ‘start working-out 3 times a week’ (a start doing) had to also include stop sleeping until 7:00am. (a stop doing). Read at least one book a month had to correspond with no tv on weeknights. Drink more water had to include don’t drink soda…
I’ve tried it the other way too. I’ve made long list of new things I wanted to do, without considering when I’d actually have time in my schedule for them. I’ve also written down lists of habits I wanted to change without considering what habit would replace them. But, for me this never works. I always end up throwing in the towel a few days or weeks in; left with nothing real to show for my efforts except for a new layer of guilt about it. But, when I’ve been disciplined enough to think-through both sides of the equation, I’ve seen that great results can take place.
So, if you’re in the resolution-making kind of mood this week, I’d encourage you to at least consider adding both categories of resolutions to your list.
