I started habit building in October, this is what they look like now

I created new resolutions to turn my goals into habits in October this year. By focusing on building small, consistent habits, I wanted to be able to make lasting changes and achieve my long-term dreams. Here are a few of the things I am building at the moment:

Health
Relationships
Strategic thinking
Work Ethic & Obsession
Focus
Chess Elo

For the last three months, I have been working with a coach and (almost) each day; I have slept 7+ hours, tracked my weight and eating and hit 200g+ of protein, walked 10k+ steps, drank 4 litres of water, got outside in nature, done 20-30 mins on the turbo, breathwork, and lift weights four times per week.

I am being more deliberate with who I spend time, finding people who make extreme goals feel normal—relentless humans climbing mountains and playing long-term games. I seek to cultivate deeper connections with a small number of people.

I have begun planning in years and decades, reading the books of great thinkers, thinking big thoughts and planning big plans, spending time analysing situations, and working on my future self and identity.

I am working harder, taking ownership and accountability. I only finish when the job is done, delivering more than is required, and going narrow and deeper. I hold myself and the people around me to a higher standard, not letting things go and not apologising or hiding my obsessions or work ethic.

I spend time in silence, reduce distractions and try to live in the moment, paying attention and enjoying the small things. I seek the flow state each day where I produce meaningful creative output, carving out time for deep focused work.

I have joined the endless battle within the 64 squares.

Commitment

Most things of value in life come through commitment, whether it is building expertise in your career, developing high levels of physical performance, or maintaining relationships with family and friends. Like integrity, loyalty, duty, and responsibility, commitment is about doing what you said you would do.

Commitment: the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.
Oxford Languages

Today is my 150th post putting me three-quarters of the way through my commitment to blog for 200 straight days. This commitment to developing the habit of writing was connected to a bigger multi-year goal of becoming a person of influence in my industry. A big goal, a detailed plan, and a commitment to honouring both in your daily habits are essential to success.

I have gradually been developing my commitment over the last eighteen months through a series of increasingly larger goals. I started with simple daily habits like cleaning the kitchen each night before I sleep, following every workout of a twelve-week running plan, and setting ambitious, year-long projects with set outcomes at work.

If you want to develop commitment in your own life, start with a small daily habit like cleaning the kitchen each night or making your bed each morning. Once you have embedded that practice, set a three-month goal, make a plan that involves a daily action, and do it. Develop a character of commitment.

How not to get fat

The great thing about physical training is that if you show up consistently and do the work, you get stronger. Today was the first test day for my deadlift in years. I was successful with my target of 142.5kgs, the total amount of weight I currently have in my gym. This is not the heaviest I have ever lifted, but probably one of the most satisfying. I am older, lighter by at least 12kgs, and running higher mileage than ever but still able to move a ‘reasonable’ amount of weight. I am stronger in the bench and pull-ups than ever before too. More importantly, my body feels good.

At the start of the year, I set myself a challenge to take my training seriously. I do not have kids or other heavy commitments outside of work other than being a responsible adult and husband. I have taken advantage of working from home and no commute to train two times per day for much of the year, adding rest where needed. I have used this time to work on ticking off some strength standards as well as running faster. These include 100kg bench press, 13 strict pull-ups, I can perform solid reps of dips, press double 24kg kettlebells overhead for ten reps, and many others.

Despite two good training sessions per day, usually a 6+ mile run, in the morning or since the weather turned, at lunch, and a strength and mobility session in the evening, I have looked fit and healthy but not great. Part of this is my insanely sweet tooth, lack of discipline in my eating, and ready access to my kitchen at all times. Still, part of it is something most people working from home since march will be familiar with, I spend the rest of the day sitting down. About six weeks ago, I wanted to make some changes to what I do outside of this 60-90 minutes per day of exercise to try and look as good as I feel.

James A Levine defines Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) as ‘the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise.’ NEAT is your general level of activity; the walking from your car to the office, taking stairs over the lift, and walking to someone’s desk instead of sending an email. If you are a knowledge worker and have been working from home for the last nine months, your NEAT has probably taken a swan dive, and your body has suffered for it.

I have been artificially adding back into my life this general activity. I started with an idea from Percy Cerutty; set of 10 sit-ups or more when I first wake up and then 5 minutes of activity to get my heart rate up after sleep. This 5 minute has been anything from some push-ups and squats to light kettlebell work, some stretches, or my latest choice of a few upper body movements with an exercise band.

Next, I started hanging from a pull-up bar for 30 seconds three times during the day. Once these were habit, I took an idea from the Gymfit newsletter and started to add short 4-minute movement breaks between meetings or after a couple of hours of intense work. The movements might be a few stretches, some bodyweight movements like 20 press-ups, some planks, or even a little sing and dance to Hey Jude by the Beatles. GymFit suggests setting a timer every 45 minutes and adding one of these breaks, but I have started to put my meetings to 50 minutes instead of an hour and use the few minutes between to do some movement.

Tomorrow, wake up and do a set of 10 sit-ups. Repeat every day for 200 days. After the first few days add one 30-60 second plank after your shower and before you work. Commit to adding movement breaks randomly and without planning. Your body will thank you.

Let me know how it goes on Twitter.