On habits

Let’s talk about habits.

I'm 2.5% finished with the challenge the Bootstrap 1000 challenge.

Are we there yet?

The quick answer: no.

The nuanced answer: kinda.

I'm 2.5% done with the 1,000 days of bootstrapping products to replace my engineering salary.

Here are my three takeaways:

Systems not goals

There are plenty of reasons why we set goals. I have to remind myself that it's better to follow systems than to focus on a single goal.

With goals, you're unhappy every day until you reach that goal.

With systems, each time I apply my system, it's a win.

Much more motivating.

Curious about the difference? Read this great excerpt from Atomic Habits.

Just start, keep it simple

I have thought, "what am I going to do" each day of the Bootstrap 1000 challenge.

But 25 of 25 days I've sat down to write code, I've written and pushed code.

James Clear talks about lowering expectations for your habits. Don't have a goal of completing an intense gym routine every day. Instead, aim to make it to the gym. That's it; you don't even have to lift.

When I sit down to code, my goal is to push one commit.

That's it. Nothing fancy. And so far, it's working.

Lower the activation energy for your habits.

The Two Day Rule

The Two Day Rule is simple: never miss two days in a row. I found this great rule on Matt D'Avella's Youtube channel.

The rule:

1. Leans towards consistency
2. Allows for imperfection

With Bootstrap 1000, my goal isn't to ship code every day. Instead, it's just not to miss two days in a row. Much less scary.

Check the full vid below:

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Happy New Year, and best of luck on your 2022 resolutions. Want to join me in shipping for 1,000 days? Join here.​

See you on the other side,

Drew