Let’s just come out and say it…the best day of the week to start something new is today. Whether you are creating new goals around health, looking at starting a new business on the side, or wanting to spend more time with the family, waiting until tomorrow can be a cancer to your life goals. Hi, my name is Justin and I’m a recovering procrastinator. It can be hard to say that, but it’s 100% fact.
Throughout most of my adult life, I went through the same cycle of goal setting:
Inspiration stage – this is where I would listen to a podcast, read something in a book, or just feel internally inspired to create better habits or chase a new business idea.
Planning stage – this is where I would write down my goals. They would be specific, have a timeline, and even a purpose tied to them. This stage is also where I would plan when I would get started. Every single time, without fail, I would plan my start date for the upcoming Monday. Why Monday? I have no idea, just seemed like a good day to start…but this was also my downfall.
Motivation stage – once my plan was in place, the motivation would start to grow. Monday morning would come, and I would hit the ground running.
Distraction stage – there are few things in life that we can guarantee, with 100% certainty, will happen…one of those things is distractions. For me, they usually tend to creep in somewhere between day 6 and 10 of starting something new.
Reset stage – if I don’t successfully push through the distractions, then I’m usually stumbling somewhere between Monday and Wednesday. I tell myself, “It’s OK, we will just start again…on Monday.”
How to Break the Cycle
Not sure how many people, if any, can relate to this terrible cycle. The thing is, distractions are inevitable. For any individual who has goals, dreams, aspirations, you have to learn how to deal with distractions in a positive way. Some people are experts at delegating and diverting, they learn how to avoid the distractions or find someone to assist with them so they can stay focused. Others learn how to handle those distractions, and then pick up where they left off after the distraction is mitigated.
I tend to be more of the latter. For me personally, it’s hard to just ignore the distractions. Typically, if I don’t just take care of whatever that distraction is, then my brain is usually divided and I can’t focus on the goals at hand. So I usually handle them, but in the past, I would push off restarting to the following MONDAY. That’s where I would stumble.
Every 10 days or so, a distraction would come into my life, and I essentially would take off the next 4 days waiting on Monday. There is so much lost time when working through that cycle. Not to mention, much of the progress gained is gone, and typically I was starting all over again the following Monday. I couldn’t keep procrastinating, and just telling myself it’s OK because I was taking care of something important.
This is why the best day to start is today, starting today is the only way (for me) to break that cycle.
Today is the Day…
Not sure why I was always so prone to starting new things on Monday. For some reason, starting on a random Wednesday or Friday just felt wrong. But I realized, the thing that was delaying my goals the most was the Reset Stage, not the Distraction stage. Like I said, distractions are going to come, it’s life. And for those who can delegate and divert, I envy you. But that’s not how I’m wired, and I had to find another way.
Shortening the Reset Stage was the only option. By getting into the habit of starting today, I instantly broke the goal setting cycle by eliminating the Reset Stage.
Getting into the habit of eating healthier and working out, but wake up sick on Tuesday? When Thursday rolls around and I’m feeling better I start right back up.
Working on my new blogging habits, but got distracted in the morning and my schedule is thrown off (which is when I usually write)? Find time in the evening after spending some time with my family.
The point is, don’t delay. Don’t let setbacks and distractions keep you from moving forward. Learn to eliminate the Reset Stage. Learn to start TODAY.
