Goals are important. Someone once called them, “dreams with deadlines.” But goals won’t get accomplished without action. Habits refer to the routine actions that people take every day. So why are habits better than goals?
Why Habits are Better than Goals
Some of us spend a lot of time setting goals, just to see them never come to fruition. Think about it. Every year we create a New Year’s Resolution, usually involved in getting in shape, and every year the gym is packed in January but empty by March.
Creating goals is essential for growth. But following habits is what gets you growing. If you are a writer, your goal may be to write the next hit book, but your habit of writing every day is what gets you closer to that goal.
The problem with goals is that they are abstract accomplishments that often rely on factors we have no control over and they require constant willpower – making even the simplest tasks more complicated. For example, the goal of saving money requires self-discipline every time you make a purchase. However, the habit of saving $50 extra per week requires little effort once the habit is ingrained – it becomes second nature.
The benefit of habits is that they are often small tasks that are easy to complete but they last a lifetime. Daily habits, once formed, creates an opportunity for real change and potentially overshooting your goals simply because the habit is there every day. Farnam Street reports, “habits make up 40% of our waking hours”. That’s a lot of opportunities to work towards your goals without consciously forcing yourself to live up to those goals.
Simply put, goals cannot be accomplished long-term without habits. Sure you can create a goal to lose weight and then go on a diet for a week. But the weight will certainly come back when you go back to your normal eating habits. Think about this for business too. Accomplishing long-term goals is what get you success, and forming the habits to accomplish those goals will help that success last for a lifetime. Contact Alan to learn more about habits and goals in running your own business.
