Start by measuring how often you do it

I told my friend I wanted to kick a bad habit but I didn’t know where to start. She said, “Start by measuring how often you do it.”

So now I have a simple spreadsheet titled, Did I succeed today?

I put Yes if I made it the whole day without giving into the habit. I put No otherwise. At the start, I aim for some % of days with a Yes. Over time, I dial that percentage up.

I find tracking to be very motivating. In the case of my bad habit, I’m up to 45% of days without it! Before I started tracking, I was 0% of days without it. Feels good.

The process of measuring gave me a sense of control over the situation that, before, felt hard to pin down.

I share this advice now in the hope that it helps you. Let me know how it goes!

—Max

This is Max’s note—a weekly message from Lessonly’s CEO about learning, leadership, and doing Better Work. Sign up below to subscribe via email. No spam, we promise!

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