practice makes perfect

Ok, so my blog is about everything that comes up, catches my interest, and inspires or challenges me as I try to live my days exactly how I want to live them. For that reason, I usually focus on my more glamorous motivations, like fashion and parties and other assorted fab things and times. But lately I've been giving some thought to my responsibilities, bad habits and how those long-standing bad habits are probably undermining my efforts on the more fabulous side of things. Sigh. As often happens in times like this, at about the same time this started to be on my mind - a few people around me began talking or posting about what it takes to make something a habit. And according to them, it is supposed to just take 21 days of discipline and then voila - you are transformed into a new, more efficient version of yourself. I was pumped. I could totally commit to being really good for a mere three weeks! Couldn't you? Well as I searched for a good article to reference for this post, I instead came across a ton that addressed the 21-day MYTH of new habit forming. Bummer. So, if 21 days of being on your best behavior doesn't do it, what will? I loved this Forbes article and will probably try to read it once a week to remind myself of the consistent work it takes to make lasting changes. The opening paragraph was my favorite:

"The habits of highly successful people allow them to consistently perform behaviors that breed success. Everything from eating well to responsible spending to task completion and beyond requires habits that make such behaviors part of our daily life. Michael Jordan spent his off seasons taking hundreds of jump shots a day. Cy Young award-winning Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay routinely does a 90-minute workout before practices. The young Venus and Serena Williams would wake up at 6:00 am to hit tennis balls before school. Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits, and it takes discipline, courage and hard work on a daily basis to keep those habits in place."

I guess "work hard, play hard" may have to be my new motto.