Habits are the cornerstones of your life. Ranging from waking up and drinking a glass of water or ordering McDonald’s at work each Friday. Habits make you and you can make them.

A famous quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson says:
“Sow a thought and you reap an action;
sow an act and you reap a habit;
sow a habit and you reap a character;
sow a character, and you reap a destiny.”

Habits are in the middle of the quote; they are also in the middle of your being; they pull you through life, sometimes unwittingly, and that is the main reason to keep them in your priority list.

How to do that effectively?

Some people are keen on discipline and willpower as the main drives of changing poor habits, but there is more nuance than meets the eye.

I use my laziness to build good habits: Apply the physically lowest possible amount of willpower to start the habit; focus on the start and start consistently, over time. This can apply to literally anything, i.e., spending more family time; cooking at home, or reading a book.

If you often struggle to start exercising, just say to yourself that you’re gonna do one push-up and go do it.
When you have your momentum, use the remaining willpower to push yourself temporarily and do a couple more if you are feeling it. You can stop at any time without feeling inadequate.
I got you, I understand it’s hard. I sometimes wake up and want to puke because of all the responsibilities that await me but remember that the hardest part is showing up, rest will solve itself.
It is wiser to build a habit of consistently showing up and trying than to force yourself for a once-in-a-blue-moon-burst-of-a-workout.

You are going to miss a few. You are going to fail and I love you for it, because it means you are a living being. A normal human being that is living in a harsh world.