[Advice] why i kept failing to stick to new habits and what i do now that changed that.

For most of my life I believed discipline was something you have, like height. Some people got the discipline gene, some don’t.

Then I realized something about my own habits: they happened best when I didn’t give myself a way to negotiate out of it.

For me specifically this happened when I starting going to the gym with a buddy.

We would set a certain time, and show up. when I was on my own I would sometimes go, sometimes not, depending on how I felt. With the added accountability of keeping my word to my friend, I always showed up, no matter how i felt.

What i realized was that for me, a lack of accountability was a huge failure vector. just “telling myself” i’d do something wasn’t effective.

I turned this learning into a system. At the start of each week I know exactly what I’m planning to do. How many times I’m going to the gym, how many days I’m doing cardio, how frequently I’m working on other projects like a blog, or a business. It’s all written down in my program.

At the end of the week (Sunday) I review all of my metrics using AI.

Here’s the thing that happened - I stopped actually needing the review. It’s the fact that I know the review is coming that forces me to behave correctly during the week. It’s easier to just do the stuff I said I would do than it is to admit to my AI coach that I didn’t follow through on my commitments.

I still do the reviews, but my performance has improved not so much because of them but because I know they are coming.

Accountability was my thing. Find what works for you and then use it to your advantage.