Setting yourself up to win takes intention. Successful people adopt patterns of behavior that help them realize their dreams.
No matter what your goal is, you need structure and consistency to reach it.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting their body transformation journey is failing to create daily routines.
Setting yourself up for success is not about huge changes, it is about consistent daily habits. What you do day in and day out will determine the heights you can reach.
To bring your dreams to life, you must set yourself up to win.
The Importance of Daily Routines
Simply put, routines are sequences of actions that you repeat. Walking the dog after work is a routine. Cleaning up after dinner is a routine. Dimming the lights and reading before bed is a routine.
Routines are not always good, but they are powerful.
Crafting beneficial routines helps us stay on track with our goals. The top benefits of having daily routines include:
- Prime you for success.
- Allow you to think more clearly.
- Help you achieve more.
- Maximize time.
- Promote discipline.
- Provide rhythm for your daily life.
Habits, Routines, and Rituals
These are all connected, but they are each separate parts of setting yourself up to win.
- Habits: “Automatic” actions that we do without making a conscious choice. Unplugging your phone in the morning or checking your email right away are common habits.
- Routines: Routines are a combination of habits. You perform routines regularly to provide order to your day. A routine could be eating breakfast, putting on workout clothes, and grabbing headphones before going to the gym.
- Rituals: Rituals are similar to routines, but they have a different reason behind the actions. Routines are generally things you think you NEED to do, whereas rituals are activities you want to do for enjoyment, entertainment, etc. Simply changing your perspective can transform a routine into a ritual.
The Power of Routines
Routines are powerful for winners. Routines combine habits, which puts our brain into an automatic state. When we have beneficial habits, we do not need to rely on willpower.
Consider the notion of working out. Without any habits or routines, you have to decide to work out every day. You must find the motivation, the time, and the willpower to consciously determine that you will work out. When left to willpower and motivation, even the best people will fail to reach their goals.
Instead, you can make working out part of your daily routines by always working out around the same time and stacking the action of working out with other habits. For example, if you have the time to work out in the morning, make it part of your morning routine. Maybe you wake up, eat, clean up, change into workout clothes, fill your water, and head to your workout. The order and exact steps of your routine will depend on your lifestyle and preferences, but the basic idea is to create a routine that includes the daily action (i.e working out) that you must perform as part of your goal.
Turn Routines to Rituals
The attitude behind your action differentiates a routine from a ritual. Rituals are viewed as meaningful and connected with purpose, but they do not have to be spiritual. Focus on engaging with the experience, not just checking it off your list.
The best way to transform a routine into a ritual is to apply mindfulness. Slow down. Think about the senses and emotions you are engaged in. Instead of rushing through the shower and mentally reviewing your to-do list the entire time, focus on the feeling of the water hitting your skin and allow your thoughts to flow smoothly.
How to Create Beneficial Rituals
There is a lot of conflicting information about what rituals are best, and when you should do what. While some concepts, like working out first thing in the morning, have scientific backing, the most important thing is to develop rituals that work for your goals, preferences, and lifestyle. The steps for creating rituals that stick are:
- Identify the leverage point. What is the most important action? Daily exercise? Nutritious eating?
- Make the “big domino” one of the first things you do in the morning (if possible). Everything else will be based on supporting this habit.
- Journal. Be creative in how you want to write, but keep track of your ritual. You can write a habit checklist.
- Start with three actions. Maybe you’d love to have a 10-step ritual filled with great habits. That’s awesome, and you can get there eventually. But for now, start with three total actions.
- Practice. It takes time to build a habit. It takes people different lengths of time to build habits. Give it time and practice your ritual.
- Add. Once you’ve nailed the routine, you can add new habits.
- Be willing to change. Adjust your routine when necessary. You may be in love with cycling for a while, but eventually, lose passion and be more interested in trying something else. Keep your process dynamic.
- Don’t let slip-ups get you down. Rituals eliminate a lot of struggles associated with relying on willpower, but even the most disciplined people can get off course. What’s important is how you can rebound and get back on track with your rituals. It may be helpful to remove one of the habits in your ritual until you have a solid foundation once again.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating your rituals:
- Rituals are not one-size-fits-all. There’s not a set right and wrong for rituals. Don’t worry about following rules, focus on what inspires you.
- Keep it simple. Habits (and routines and rituals) only work if you do them. You don’t need to change everything at once. Start with a few key habits and build upon them to develop your rituals.
- Recognize your current mindful habits. Sometimes, we are unaware of the many great mindful habits we already have. Acknowledge the foundation you already built as a starting point.
- Identify fixed points. Based on your schedule and the demands of life, you may not be able to stick to the same ritual every single day. That’s okay. You can also have routines for different days of the week. Determine your “non-negotiables” (work, children’s activities, etc) and build your rituals around those.
Winning Habits
Talk to 100 successful people and their rituals can all look different. However, there are a few you’re likely to hear over and over. Here are a few habits to consider incorporating into your daily rituals that will help you in setting yourself up to win:
- Sleep hygiene. Form a healthy sleep ritual that promotes quality sleep.
- Read, meditate, or listen to soft music before bed.
- Eliminate electronics one hour before bed.
- Only get into bed when it’s time for sleep.
- Daily walks.
- Drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning.
- Journal.
- Eat breakfast.
- Meditate.
- Stretch.
We Will Help You Win
Setting yourself up to win is about building daily rituals that facilitate your body transformation. It often helps to have someone in your corner to help you stay accountable and remember your goals. That’s exactly what our dedicated team at JOC Coaching will do. When you join our body academy, we empower you to create rituals of success for exercise, mindset, and nutrition. Learn more about how JOC Coaching can help you win your body transformation, or join the body academy today HERE.
