It hit me this morning, and the reason why the book Atomic Habits by James Clear is on my recommendation list, just how many habits I have and go through every work morning.
Wake Up + gain consciousness.
Say a quick thank you.
Wash up.
Get dressed (cleans scrubs being set on top of my dresser the night before).
60+ seconds of a dead man hang.
Walk the dog.
Give the wife a "goodbye and have a great day" kiss.
Say my morning prayers.
Take my supplements.
Fill my travel mug with cold brew coffee (prepared the night before).
Do the garbage/recycling.
Choose and listen to a lecture on the drive to my office (40 minutes).
Arrive at the office, turn the lights on, check the thermostat.
Recite Maimonides' prayer for the physician.
Push Ups to fatigue (82 this morning!)
100 sit-ups.
Drink ½ glass of seltzer.
Put the travel mug in the freezer/refrigerator.
Sit down at desk and tackle emails.
All before I even see my first patient.
When you think about it, building your day (and life) around a series of good habits is easy as long as you don’t look backwards. It can get overwhelming when you list your habits and then check each one of them off each time you do it.
Nike is right – just do it.
Jelly Roll is correct too. He is a southern rapper I listen to when I exercise. In one of his songs, he says to “take the rear view mirror off ….” Meaning so you can't look back at life and some of the decisions you may have made that you probably should not have. Just look forward and make sure you stay on the right pathway.
Mr. Clear is also correct. Create for yourself good [daily] habits. Make sure they're good and worthwhile.
When you direct yourself towards happiness and success, create a map outlining the “refueling stops” along the way, and you will get there.
Define where or what “there” is. Good relationships, good health, increasing your knowledge and becoming wiser. Appreciating the value of each day, being humble, being thankful, and so on.
Life is the sum of your daily accomplishments and growth.
Creating good daily habits,
Not looking backwards,
Focusing on what is in front of you,
Designing daily habits that keep you on track,
All allow us to achieve the maximal benefit, reach the greatest lengths of our potential – and hopefully provide light for others to use as they travel along their own life’s pathway.
The power in that as both an individual and as a group of humans is limitless and timeless.
Wishes for a great day to all,
Hugs too,
David/
