⏱ The Best Minute: Your future self, effective work routines, and making progress

💡 1 IDEA FROM ME

If you won’t do it now, you won’t do it in the future.

We all love to believe our future self will have the will and determination to do the thing we don’t want to do today.

  • I’ll start eating better tomorrow

  • I’ll start exercising in the new year

  • I’ll spend more time with my kids once this work project is over

  • I’ll spend less time on social media next week

Unfortunately, our future self is no better able to will itself together than our current self. In other words, never trust your future self.

  • Make changes in your diet only if you’re willing to do it permanently

  • Start your new exercise plan now (there is nothing special about January 1)

  • Create better work boundaries now (there will also be another project to work on)

  • Decide today how much time you will allow yourself to spend on social media

Your future self will be no better disciplined than you are today if your habits don’t change. Start now; your future self will thank you.

💬 2 QUOTES FROM OTHERS

I. Danny Iny on creating an effective work routine:

“How do you create an effective work routine? Simple: by choosing what you want it to be, rather than letting others dictate it for you. Except that most people do exactly the opposite, through one simple (terrible) habit. they check their email first thing in the morning...

This means that their focus and energy are going where others are directing it, rather than where they stand to make the greatest impact.”

———————————

II. Alfred A. Montapert on progess:

“Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.

🎙 THIS WEEK ON THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP PODCAST

Jonathan Dodson talks about transitioning out of pastoral ministry, how to know when it's time to move on, how to become a published writer, and more.

Click here to listen to the podcast on your favorite app and get the show notes for this episode.

💯 1 RESOURCE I RECOMMEND

My all-time favorite task management app is Todosit.

I’ve used a number of different apps to manage my to-do list over the years, and the functionality and ease of use of Todoist are why I love it. It works create on your phone and your computer and has a hot-key function that makes it really fast and easy to add a task to your list without stopping what you are doing and opening up the app. I highly recommend Todosit.

🤯 1 INTERESTING FACT

Neil Armstrong didn't say "That's one small step for man."

The astronaut insists he actually stated, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." "That's the only way the statement makes any sense," Armstrong told biographer James Hansen. And for the record, no real astronaut ever uttered "Houston, we have a problem" — Tom Hanks only said that in the movie Apollo 13.

Source: Good Housekeeping

🤔 1 QUESTION TO LEAVE YOU WITH

5 years from now, would failing or not even trying lead to more regret?


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⏱ The Best Minute: Better sleep, being decisive, and habit math

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⏱ The Best Minute: Productive mornings, genius, and when it’s time to make a change