497: Forming Healthy Habits

My Business On Purpose

Hey folks, Brent Perry with Business on Purpose.

The question on the table, can you do it for a day? 1 day.

I am reading a book right now called Win the Day by Mark Batterson. At the beginning of this book, he poses the question…” can you do it for a day?”

Let me explain a little further. He shares the story of Hall of Fame running back Emmit Smith, who has been known for living the 24-hour rule throughout his football career. Win or lose, Smith would give himself 24 hours to celebrate the win, or lament the loss. And then it was back to the basics, back to work.

So, in your business and in life, what is one thing, one action, one goal, one task that you need to do for 1 day?

One of my best friends is involved in a group called Alcoholics Anonymous. I’m sure most of you are familiar with it... have had loved ones a part of this powerful program, or maybe you yourself. When you ask my friend, who is now over 5 years sober how he does it, he gives a similar response to everyone... along with a few other things... a day at a time. We were driving in the car one day and I asked him to explain that a little deeper for me. He said, it’s simple... it’s too big of a problem to look ahead. Stringing days, weeks, months, years together seem daunting and nearly impossible. But when you can wake up and choose to live 1 day clean, I can do that. Apparently, that’s a common outlook in AA. Powerful.

So we have Emmit Smith’s 24-hour rule. We have a good friend saying a day at a time. What does that mean for us?

Batterson goes on to say, “identify a habit- any habit. Set a goal, any goal. Got it? Now let me ask you a question... Can you do it for a day”? And that’s what we are going to do with your life and business right now.

What’s one action, task, goal, accomplishment, to-do list item, habit that you need to start or stop doing right now for personal and professional benefit. Go on. Think about it.

And then, three easy steps to help us get there.

1. Write it down! Simple. When you write it down (either on paper or typing it out) it gives you power over the task at hand.
2. Share it with one person you know and trust. This isn’t even for accountability as much as making it real to you. How many wonderful ideas and tasks get lost in your own mind simply because you never write them down and share them?
3. Start today. 1 day. That’s it.

Thanks for listening. We’ll see you all again soon.