How to Build Habits151miles in two hours and eight seconds. My time won’t win any
awards, but it felt like a huge achievement to me. I started small
when it didn’t make sense and stuck with my small, silly habits.
I built on them over and over until I reached my goal.
The beauty of that habit is that now I run with my son.
He’s eight, and he’s the sweetest little running buddy. It’s fun
to think my running journey began when he was in my womb
and now he runs beside me (sometimes holding my hand). It’s
such a joy.
That’s an often- overlooked blessing of building great
habits. They are passed on to those around us. My habit of
running might very well be passed on for the next couple of
generations. As a result, maybe my children and their children
will live longer, healthier lives.
Habit building the right way takes time, but it is so worth it.
So what habits are you trying to build? If you want to
wake up every morning and spend time with Jesus and you’re
starting at zero, download your favorite worship song on your
iPhone, set your alarm for five minutes earlier than you usually
wake up, and spend the first five minutes of your day worship-
ping and thanking God for who He is and what He has done.
After waking up and focusing on Jesus becomes a habit,
add to it. Wake up ten minutes early, program your coffee
maker, find a cozy corner to worship in, and read one chapter.
By starting with tiny habits, every habit you build onto the
routine reinforces the previous one. And if at some point you
hit a season in life that knocks you down, you’ll have your first
tiny habits to fall back on and then build back up.
The goal is that waking up a little early and focusing on
Jesus first will be your default. It’s what you can’t wait to do