The sixteen year old version of myself barely resembles the current version. Back then I lived by the motto “everything sucks”¹, sported colorful unwashed hair, spent my time with various punk-rock bands, and went weeks without seeing my family. It was then that I learned how to find comfort in sleeping on somebody’s floor. I hated the system. I hated programs and all the hoops to jump through, which society told me were for my benefit, but for which no real value could be seen. That is why, when I tell you that routines are important, you can trust that I’m speaking from experience; experience gained in the school of hard knocks.
Until very recently, all of my approaches to personal growth had been 1) failures, and 2) “short, frenzied outbursts of emotion”². I got inspired about eating healthier, saving money, or spending more time working on creative projects. In the end though, each excited endeavor amounted to little. I could never sustain the discipline to see these things through; I was never really invested to the point required by the desired outcome. It was not a matter of lacking desire though. Far from it; I had desire through the roof. The problem was in sustaining that desire through the long-term. True, I was able to lose sixty pounds, but I was also able to gain it back in a matter of months. I was missing was the ability to actually change. I could work, but I simply couldn’t make the work part of me.
Why Routines are Important
You don't need a Franklin Covey Planner to remember to use the restroom.
If we are to proclaim that we are disciples of Christ, then we cannot simply ignore discipline. Discipline is the acquisition of knowledge or character through controlled behavior. It is a kind of training, with the end result to make the desired behavior instinctual. Those of us beyond early childhood are able to go without soiling our pants. Most of us probably don’t need to “think it through” when we need to go to the bathroom. We know what to do. We know this is through repeated experience. We have been potty-trained. Therefore, if we can create repeated experience to do those things we desire most, we won’t have to keep reminding ourselves to read the scriptures, spend time with loved ones, or take time to create something meaningful.
In a very real way routines create freedom. To be free from the constant thought of “what am I doing right now” gives us the opportunity to spend our mental energy in other ways.
Each of us has a stewardship over our time. In the end, we will be responsible for how we spent that time. Knowing this, it is apparent that to waste this resource in daydreaming and wishing instead of actually doing is a betrayal of trust. Most decisions made in the heat of the moment are poor ones. That is why it is so easy to skip out on scriptures reading and prayer. To ignore the opportunity to develop a routine of prayer and scripture study is like deciding to learn the ins and outs of this whole sailing thing once you get out on the open water. You will inevitably be tossed aimlessly by the waves of circumstance if you do not make a choice ahead of time. Simply put: the powers working against accomplishing good things pray on our weakness in the moment.
The decision about what we will do in a given circumstance must be made ahead of time, and reinforced through repetition. Bishop David. H. Burton offered an interesting comparison for those who seek to be disciples of The Master:
“For most Olympic events, athletes must attain minimum levels of achievement in order to qualify to compete. Our lives are similar to the Olympic qualification process in that we need to achieve and maintain standards in order to participate in the important spiritual events of life. World-class athletes have a disciplined daily routine.”³
The way that athletes obtain a spot in the olympics will be the same way that we obtain eternal life: through daily routine.
How do We Develop Routines?
The solution to routines does not come in the form of a day-planner, the latest to-do app, or some methodical and intensive planning process. What it takes is consistent work on one habit at a time. Yes, that’s right: one at a time. Without question we set ourselves up for failure when we fracture our focus with multiple goals.
Routines are simply daily habits. For instance, if my end-goal is to create great paintings, I should focus on the daily work it will take. My daily goal could be to paint for one hour a day, or to create one new sketch for a painting per a day. You can always start small, then ramp up. Please, do not overestimate your dedication. Keep it simple and easy and start now.
Simply put, developing a routine is a two step process. First, start doing that thing today. Second, repeat until it becomes habitual. Often the understanding of how long this will take can scare us from even starting. The truth is, you can quit any time you like, so long as you’ve actually tried. Do not wait until you feel like starting, because you will never feel like doing something which is not already natural. Change takes discomfort. And, like a bandaid, it’s better to rip it off quick rather than to spend excruciating time going as slow as possible.
So, what are those daily habits that you’re looking to develop?
What are some of the ways you’ve found useful for tricking yourself into just getting started?
What have been your hangups in the past?
I’d love to have a discussion about this.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everything_Sucks_(Descendents_album)
2. Adlai E. Stevenson (speech given Aug. 27, 1952, quoted in John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations, 13th ed. [1955], 986)
3. ”And That’s The Way It Is” from the April 2003 General Conference
http://lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/and-thats-the-way-it-is?lang=eng
