By Curt Fowler

“All our life so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits – practical, emotional, and intellectual – systematically organized for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny, whatever the latter may be.” – William James (1842-1910)

I do a poor job of stating this in my writing but pretty much everything I write about is something I struggle with. Writing about a topic gives me an excuse to research it, process what I learned and attempt to implement it. 

Habits are how we create discipline in our lives. We can rely on willpower for momentary discipline, but sustained excellencerequires disciplined habits. That is why diets always fail. Diets are temporary. If they weren’t, we’d call them a change in our eating habits. When the diet ends, the habit immediately begins to disintegrate. 

I struggle with self-discipline. A lot. Whether it be sugar, Diet Mountain Dew or doing things that scare me, I struggle. I’ll make it a few days on whatever new thing I’m pursuing and then fail spectacularly.

What I have going for me is a childlike belief that I can make it work the next time I try it. So, I keep trying and, most of the time, keep failing. 

I once again have big plans for positive change in my life. That is why I am writing about habits. I know that if I can establish and maintain the right habits, I will achieve the outcomes I want to create. If I can make the habits stick, those habits will make me into who I want to become.

So, let’s learn and implement together. We must remember that failure is a required part of the process. If we are not failing, our goals are too small. We simply must persist. If we never quit in the pursuit of the vision God has planted in our hearts we will never truly fail. 

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge

Ultimately, positive change is up to us. As William James suggested, our life is the sum of our habits. We are as happy/rich/fit/etc. as our habits have made us. Thankfully, Mr. Coolidge helps us keep our hopes alive. The hope that despite our previous failed attempts, persistence will win in the end. 

Let’s start this journey together. Sit back, relax and think of some outcomes you would like to achieve. They can be personal or organizational. Think about why you want to accomplish this outcome. What will the benefits be to you, the world and those you love? Will creating this new habit cause beneficial changes in other areas of your life?

What will the cost of this accomplishment be? All great accomplishments have a cost. Will the cost be time, money, giving up a personal pleasure or all the above? Is the outcome you desire worth what it will cost you to achieve it? If it’s not, it is doubtful the change will stick. 

Lastly, rank your potential accomplishments in order of importance. Success is going to require focus. Willpower is a limited resource and we’ll need to focus all the willpower we have on the most important change to be successful. 

Are you excited? I love this part of goal setting. All vision and excitement with none of the work! 

Write your goals and why’s down and keep them close to you. We’ll be working through how to make the change happen and how to overcome setbacks in the upcoming weeks. 

Would you like an accountability partner to make this change happen? I’d love to help in any way I can. Reach out to me at cfowler@valuesdrivenresults.com and we can push each other along. 

Curt Fowler is President of Fowler & Company and Director at Fowler, Holley, Rambo & Stalvey. He is dedicated to helping leaders create and achieve a compelling vision for their organizations. 

Curt is a syndicated business writer, keynote speaker and business advisor. He has an MBA in Strategy and Entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School, is a CPA, and a pretty good guy as defined by his wife and four children.