Failing for 15 years: habits that work

At my girls’ boarding school, our running groups were sorted alphabetically by fruit: the Apples were the stars, Bananas were pretty good. My friend Emily and I were Ugli fruits, and fought hard to never get promoted for fear we might have to break a sweat in a race.  

It’s safe to say that I am not a natural runner. 
 
TRIGGER

But 15 years ago I saw a chalkboard sign outside of a florist that listed the secrets to happiness: friendship, laughter… all the clichés, PLUS running for 20 minutes three times a week.  I have no idea why that bloody sign registered in my head, perhaps that it’s so simple and achievable, but every year since I’ve consistently proven—it isn’t achieveable for me. 

But last year, I finally changed that… 

📒 Read James Clear’s Atomic Habits and processed it for nearly six months while running shoes sat in their box 

👟 Got a grip and made a plan to make running obvious, attractive (ish), easy (ish) and satisfying 

⏰ Chose a system not a goal - and added peer pressure from the dog 

🌅 And kept going out again and again—and now it feels like a habit. 

Although, As Clear observes, it’s only a habit until you stop doing it.  

Golden nugget?

The ‘ah ha’ insight Clear gave me was to not to see running as a linear programme of constant improvement, but to celebrate any brisk walk, jog or run. 

Bad night’s sleep / short on time? Three quick sets of 5 minutes. 

Raring to go on a beautiful weekend morning? 30 minutes off we go. 

Training for a marathon? Piss off. 

What habits have you changed or are you up for changing? 

Next week

Punching some power into your presence, inspired by Diana at the beautiful boardroom clubhouse from beautiful Zurich.

Christine