#31 From a goal to a default

How building a daily habit takes motivation out of the equation

Building habits is easier when you build a daily practice. When you do something every single day, it takes the motivation out of the way. It becomes a default. And defaults are much easier to keep consistent vs motivating yourself to do something.

Before, I struggled with writing and producing essays. I would sit down during weekends trying to write an article about a topic. The process would be difficult and time consuming. Now that I write every day, it’s much easier to get done. I don’t have to think about the task or motivate myself to do it. Every morning I sit down and start writing an essay. It's now a default behavior.

The same is with reading. In the last 2-3 years I struggled with reading and finishing books. Now that I read every day, it has become a default and I read at every opportunity that I have. I have physical books lying around the house, and I carry my Kindle everywhere I go. I have a goal of reading 10 pages a day, but I end up reading a lot more than that. When you are in a default mode, you also get a lot more done.

Building new habits is much easier if you do them every day. Set a small goal. Get it done every day. Pretty soon, you will find that you don’t need any motivation. Your habit has become a default behavior.