When we regret our inability to keep running or writing, we often blame ourselves for our lack of self-discipline. When we ask others for help, they often offer advice like this:

  • All you need to do is put on your running shoes and go downstairs, and you’ll be done before you’ve made your decision
  • Don’t think too much. Just pick up the pen and write. Whatever comes to mind

Such advice is not wrong, but it is often unenforceable: you can’t always convince yourself to put on your running shoes, you can’t always convince yourself to pick up a pen.

When this happens to you, try starting with a micro-habit.

Microhabits are those that force you to do small positive actions every day.

A short introduction contains four core concepts: compulsion, everyday, insignificant, and positive behavior.

Compulsion means that what you want to do must be subconsciously resisted.

Make it a point to do things every day that require long-term execution.

Triviality indicates the ease of doing it.

Positive behavior shows that you will feel pleasure and gain from doing it.

Running naturally has two attributes: compulsion and everyday. After all, it is difficult for ordinary people to enjoy running every day at the very beginning. The trivial thing is not to run for too long.

So the micro-habit of running is to run 10 meters a day, yes, not 1,000 meters, not 100 meters, just 10 meters, a distance that is effortless for most people, and takes only a few seconds to complete.

Writing also naturally has the two attributes of compulsion and everyday. Trivial means not to write too much. The core of writing is thinking, thinking shows that you are not stupid, and thinking that you are smart is a positive behavior.

So the micro habit of writing is to write one line every day, whether it is to leave a comment on an article or to post on moments, it only takes about ten seconds to complete.

You see how easy it is to run 10 meters a day and write a line a day, but it really makes the difference between doing and not doing.

A plan without action is worthless, as is the determination to produce results.

One of the main reasons it is so hard to take action is that planning is unrealistic, ambitious and grandiose, and there are always a thousand reasons to delay implementation.

Microhabits can always be implemented, always have a result, if not, the problem is that you think trivial is not so simple, belong to overestimate yourself.

Microhabits also have an unexpected benefit: we always want to overdo it, and it’s easy to overdo it.

Since it is effortless, grit your teeth to run another 10 meters, write another line of words seems not impossible, the harvest is indeed a double joy.

If we’re afraid to stick to something, we might as well start by building a micro-habit of it. It’s always relaxing to finish something.

The reason why people are tired is largely because they have accumulated too many unfinished or unfinished things in their mind. These things consume one’s energy all the time. It is inevitable that the heart lacks the power to spare. When we finish something, we get dopamine, which makes us want to do it more.