As usual, James Clear’s newsletter delivers gold. I don’t read 99% of the newsletters that I sign up for, even though I like the idea of being informed and having that choice. Some kind of digital FOMO perhaps, but that’s the privilege of the digital. It doesn’t take up space to keep getting those emails. But I read every single newsletter by James Clear. It really does live up to its own hype of being “The most wisdom per word of any newsletter on the web.”
But back this quote in his latest mailer:
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” ~ F.M. Alexander on the importance of habits
I thought that line was pretty brilliant. Yet if you step back and think about it, it’s also plain obvious and simple common sense too. In fact, so simple it’s probably really hard. Common sense is not always common practice.
I love that he timed this line to be in the first newsletter he sent out in the new year. With New Year resolutions and goals flying left, right and centre, it’s easy to feel accomplished after you had set them. At least, I do. There’s almost a sigh of relief, as if saying “Glad I got that out of the door. Now back to our regular programming……” Our minds are crafty little buggers. But conscience sees it clearly enough.
I had reviewed so much in December, and went on to set loads of intentions, goals and plans. But those ain’t gonna decide how my 2020 will turn out. It’s gonna be my habits. My keystone habits. My daily micro-habits program. My deliberate practice of working offline, not just online. Just focus on non-zero days.
That’s it. That’s all there is to it. And now, in my best pirate voice,