A little magic for the days when you don't want to work

Some days are hard. Here's a new way to look at those days.

Edited transcript:

You have a goal. You have a dream, but you're not taking action. You just don't feel like it. What do you do in this moment? I suggest you create a little bit of magic.

I'm talking about the book, the Magic of Momentum by Stephen Guise. And the whole book can be summed up in one sentence, and it is: You are likely to do what you just did.

I know that doesn't sound as magical as it truly is, but...

This book made it possible for me--A lifetime mathlete, not athlete--who was using a walker in her thirties after a car accident, sick in her forties, and now, finally exercising regularly in my fifties.

I've lost 20 pounds. I finished my first half marathon, and I'm training for the La Marathon--even though I've got 30 to 40 to 50 pounds more to lose.

I feel the best that I've ever been. I've done things in my fifties that I couldn't do in my twenties. And I am so excited about this magic. So what does it mean you're likely to do what you just did?

The concept about the magic of momentum is that people overestimate the power of long term momentum and underestimate the power of short term momentum.

If you've read Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg or Atomic Habits by James Clear, you're aware of the concept of doing, a little tiny habit every single day, right? And then you build that habit.

The problem for me was I didn't recognize that when I wasn't doing those small things, that I wasn't just not building a healthy habit, I was actually creating and building an unhealthy habit.

Every time I didn't work out, every time I didn't eat the way I intended to, I was creating momentum for the opposite.

I was building atomically bad habits.

You're likely to do what you just did.

So if you overeat, go on your diet right now.

One, you're already full, so it's easy. And two, you're likely to do what you just did. The quicker you get back on the horse, the quicker you get back on plan, the more magic you make. And what I'd like to advise you in that moment where the plan isn't going as planned, I would like you to look at the plan.

The ART of Motivation is Assess, Realign, and Team up with the right tools and people.

The assessment would be, look at the plan. Where did it go awry.

I used to think if I couldn't do the plan, then I was wrong. No, the plan's wrong. You get to change the plan. And every time you build the habit for realigning with what you just did and working through your problems, you're creating momentum for being the person that you dreamed of being.

And when you do that, you build your own sense of self trust. It becomes easier to do the things that you intend to do, whether or not you want to do them. You have magic. So whatever it is you're putting off right now, I want you to write one sentence.

I want you to make one phone call. I want you to drink a glass of water or start your diet anew or do one push up or one jumping jack. Absolutely anything.

Take one small action and make yourself some magic.