12 Jul Jeremy’s Awesome Habit Breakthrough

By Lifebook Member Jeremy Smith

A great quote by Jerry Rice has really impacted me, and fit well within my Lifebook experience thus far:

“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what other’s can’t.”

Another great quote: “Large impacts are the combinations of many small ones.”

The Lifebook process has already had a profound effect on me personally, and in many areas of my family life. And the biggest unlocking move for me was in the habit setting section.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the past few years working on goal setting, and vision / values creation….with average success. And, I’ve always considered myself to have good control over my habits.

However, the reframe of setting habits specifically to achieve goals was the missing element in my game. I am now looking at all of my goals, short and long term, and asking myself what habits do I need to create or break to achieve these goals. And being really specific with the habits in the way I create and execute them.

I realized that I needed to wake earlier in the morning to allow myself time, quiet time (I have three young children) to reflect and work on myself. And to that time, at least an hour, with all my other commitments and responsibilities, I would have to wake at 4:30AM each morning. After researching sleep patterns, and methods for waking, I came across a cheap iPhone app called “Sleep Cycle” that since day 1 has allowed me to wake at or near 4:30AM each morning.

Here are a couple more daily habits that I’ve adopted:
1. Daily Affirmation: I’ve written a brief affirmation that I read each morning while standing in my bathroom.
2. Eating Breakfast: I eat a protein rich breakfast each morning.
3. Review my work schedule for the day and week.
4. Exercise @ Crossfit: This has had the biggest impact on the other 11 categories.
5. Listening to audio books in car, instead of radio. I spend a large amount of time in the car, and this provides valuable uninterrupted time to learn, via audio books on my iPhone.

Developing these habits, in service of, and in connection with a larger goal has really had some immediate rewards, and will be a continuous focus for me going forward.