Gilbert Thurston

Random Thoughts About Life, Ministry and Whatever Else Happens to be on my Mind

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The Power of Mini Habits

January 26, 2016 by Gilbert Leave a Comment

A few years back I wrote a post called, 1 Sit-up Per Day Could Change Your Life. Recently I read a book called Mini Habits, which talks about this same concept. Basically the premise is this…we often try to create new habits (diet, exercise, reading, writing, etc.) through sheer willpower. The problem though is often our willpower is not strong enough, consistently enough, so we give up.

So mini habits are goals which the author calls “stupid small”. He changed his whole life through a commitment to do 1 push up per day. 1 push-up is so easy to do…even when you don’t feel like it…so no willpower is really needed. But an amazing thing happens while you’re down there doing your one push-up. You’ll likely go ahead and do a few more. After all you’re already on the floor and in the proper position. Now remember the goal was just one. There is no obligation to do more, but if you feel like it you can.

This same approach can be taken for any new habit you want to form. Break it down to such a super small (stupid) goal that you can’t help but take the 1 minute per day or so that it might take. Again your only obligation is to meet the mini habit…if you do more it’s a bonus!

The reason I’m posting this, is I read the book as a part of preparation for a series we did at the church I pastor and it really impacted me. I really want to be consistent in my blogging and was for years. However, after years of blogging on a daily basis I began to burn out on it. So then I decided on a daily topic type of approach but that didn’t work either. So mini habits are my latest way to try to get back into it.

The plan is this. Write 50 words per day. That’s it! Basically that is 2-3 sentences usually. If I write more than that then great. If I don’t that’s ok, because I’ve met my goal. I’ll just keep writing 50 words per day until I feel a post is complete, then I’ll post it. In this way the pressure to produce something daily or X number of times per week will be taken away.

To show you how this works, I wrote this post over a 5-day period. Included in that were 2 days of shoveling snow that completely wore me out. To be honest, I’m was so sore I didn’t want to write but then I remembered…”It’s only 50 words! You can do that even with sore muscles and a pounding headache”. Funny thing is, on one of those days I wrote most of this post. That just shows that often the motivation is just taking the first step.

So what mini habits can you start? One push-up per day? One bible verse per day? Take a 50 step walk? Write or read 50 words per day? Put a penny into your savings account? Again make the goal stupid small so that you’ll see success every day and I think you’ll be pleased with the results!

Would love to hear your thoughts on mini habits or any questions you might have. Also, if you’re inspired to start a mini habit, post it on here so we can help encourage you along. I also downloaded an app for my phone called, “Habit Streak” that prompts me each day to do my mini habits and keeps a record of how many days in a row I’ve been successful and gives me other reports on my progress.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: diet, exercise, Goals, Habits, Mini, writing

July 1, 2014?

July 1, 2009 by Gilbert Leave a Comment

I was flipping through one of my journals this morning and came across this quote that I had written down years ago, “What you will become in 5 years will be determined by what you read and who you associate with”.

That’s so true.  Looking back on my life, I can see greatly how God has changed me through reading His Word and how both ministry and business books have shaped myself and United.  In the same way, the people I’ve gotten to meet and hang out with have influenced my thoughts and decisions for today.

The question then becomes for you and I…Who do I want to become and what do I want to accomplish by July 1, 2014?  Once that’s determined,  you need to see if your reading list and the people your hanging out with are helping you to get closer to those goals or pulling you further away.

For myself, while I am reading more than I have ever read in my life, I’m questioning whether it’s the right stuff so I’ll re-evaluate that.  In the same way, there are some relationships that drag me down and drain me more than they lfit me up and encourage me, so I’ll have to do something about that.

So how about you?  Number one on your reading list needs to be God’s Word, but after that are the things you’re reading helping you or hindering you?  The toughie is the people you hang out with…are they bringing you closer to Jesus and all He wants for you or are they keeping you from growing in your relationship with Him?

Filed Under: Growth Tagged With: associations, bible, gilbert thurston, Goals, Jesus, reading

1 Sit-up a Day Can Change Your Life

February 18, 2009 by Gilbert Leave a Comment

sit-up

In the latest issue of Fast Company magazine, they talk about micro goals. It reminded me of a story I heard awhile back about a man who lost tons of weight by committing to do 1 sit-up per day.

Now I know you’re thinking, “How in the world would only 1 sit-up change someone so dramtically?” The answer is…it didn’t…it was many sit-ups every day that did. Confused yet?

The man made a vow to himself that everyday he would do at least one sit-up. What he found that was by doing one he was then more motivated to do more…and then even other exercises. In other words, committing to 10, 15, or even 30 minutes a day to excercise would have been too big for him and he would have easily given up and quit. However, by committing to at least 1 sit-up per day, not only was he able to keep his vow easily, but it led to more.

So what big goal (lion) that you are chasing overwhelms you? How can you break it down into a managable goal that you can commit to every day? Change can start small, but it will lead to bigger things if you’ll just commit to do something everyday…go for it…you can change your life “1 sit-up at a time.”

Filed Under: Goals Tagged With: exercise, Fast Company, Goals, sit-ups, weight loss

Recent Posts

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  • Annual Things I’m Thankful For (2016 Edition)
  • The Power of Mini Habits
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