You have repeatedly tried to go on a diet to lose weight but failed. You want to wake up at 5 am from tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. You spend too much time on Facebook and Instagram and you are addicted but don't know how to get out of it. No worries. This is all because you haven't met the twins. I will introduce you to them now and then everything will change!
The twins are the two qualities called ‘moderation’ and ‘consistency’. They come together, reinforce each other and without one there is no other. And with their power, you can break any bad habit and improve any skill. To understand how they work, let us first see what happens when there is neither.
Prabhu has been a couch potato for the longest time. On the New Year's day he takes a resolution that to overcome this, he will train for and complete a marathon that year itself. He is inspired and filled with energy. He goes running every day for the next two weeks. Still, only after running a few blocks he begins huffing and panting. The goal looks so far ahead and he wonders if he can ever make it. Then one day, after working late through the night, he misses his morning run.Then another and then one more. He feels no motivation in the mornings. And soon enough, the goal is forgotten and he is back to where he started.
This is because the goal was extreme. And because it was extreme, he became inconsistent. A moderate goal might have been to run one round around the park. Or perhaps even go walking daily for a couple of weeks. Accomplishing this itself is reason enough to celebrate; perhaps a dinner at a favourite restaurant. For this already makes him significantly better than what he is. It may, in fact, be all that is needed to be fit. And here's the best part; the moderate changes in habit are easier to sustain over time, or in other words, they make you consistent. And with consistency, great things can be achieved.
Here is an example to show you the power of consistency. Say, Prabhu can run a measly fifty metres today. If he does it consistently and this helps him double his distance every month, then in just ten months he is ready to complete that marathon and run some more! I am not suggesting this as a way to train or prescribing a fitness routine. The point here is, even if you start small, but keep going, you can grow to great heights.
Want to start eating healthy? Rather than blacklisting an entire set of items you love from tomorrow, see if you can cut down on some of the things that you know aren’t good for you. Once you get used to it, make the next incremental change. Want to be like that friend who wakes up at 5 am daily? Why not aim at walking up half an hour earlier for the next week and build from there? Want to cultivate a reading habit? Begin with a goal of reading for fifteen to twenty minutes a day.
You should now see where this is going. To develop a new skill or habit, begin by seeing where you stand today. Then make a moderate change towards what you want to be. The moderate change is something you are comfortable doing, that you are sure you can handle every day without burning out. Keep going consistently and stretch a little bit more as you feel ready. Always make sure the change is moderate.
Once you imbibe the qualities of moderation and consistency, becoming awesome in any area is not just possible, but you can get there with no stress! So make the twins your best friends.
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If you liked meeting the twins, then hear this: In my new book, ‘The Happy Fruit Adventures’ the qualities of life - experience, insight, courage, and envy to name a few - are presented as characters. Their interactions form the intricate plot of this exciting adventure story. Check out this unique book here.
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