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Have you ever wondered why you have a tendency to start something and not finish it?  How many new years resolutions have you made and not kept?  It is kind of a societal joke about not keeping new years resolutions, but the reality is that it is anything but funny.  If you look back over the course of your life how many instances can you find that you started something and didn’t finish it, started something and “changed your mind”, declared that you would do something and didn’t?  Any thought or action that is repeated over and over again becomes a habit and habits as we all know are difficult to change.  So is the fact that you might be having difficulty in some (or several) areas in your life due to external factors (the government, your boss, job, weather, etc…) is it because you have formed a habit.

“…modern psychology tells us that when we start something and do not complete it, or make a resolution and do not keep it, we are forming the habit of failure; absolute, ignominious failure.  If you do not intend to do a thing, do not start; if you do start, see it through even if the heavens fall;  if you make up your mind to do something, do it; let nothing, no one, interfere; the “I” in you has determined, the thing is settled; the die is cast, there is no longer any argument.”

“If you carry out this idea, beginning with small things which you know you can control and gradually increase the effort, but never under any circumstances allowing your “I” to be over-ruled, you will find that you can eventually control yourself…”

-          Charles F. Haanel,

Part 4 of The Master Key System

As the second paragraph mentions, you can begin to change the habit which will lead to greater control over yourself.  As you do this your will gets stronger, the ability to ignore the voice in your head gets stronger, your power increases, self-worth improves, and your path gets easier.

Starting today, commit to yourself that you will start a project and finish it or commit to yourself that you will do an activity today…and do it.  Start with something small, something that you know that you can accomplish and make sure that you get it done.  Make a list for yourself of what it is you want to accomplish today.  Do whatever you have to do to make sure that you do what you tell yourself you are going to do.  Follow the “just for today” outline from the previous post and use it as an example.  Just for today I am going to exercise for an hour, just for today I am going to make _____ sales calls, just for today I am going to eat a healthy snack.  Whatever it is you commit yourself to, make it just for today and make sure it gets done.  Even if it is something that you don’t feel like doing, do it.  If you strive to stick to your commitment to yourself, it will get easier every day.  You will lessen the habit of incompletion and strengthen your control over yourself.  You will be amazed at what you will begin to accomplish.