Peter Thompson passes along this advice from Alex Garcez, who teaches speed-reading, on learning a new skill:
“He says, ‘Make a promise to yourself that you’ll practise for at least one minute per day.’
This is brilliant!
You and I know we’ve made promises to practice or do something every day for x amount of time. Then because of some happening or other – we didn’t do it one day. The one day became two days and the habit was broken!
But one minute?
Well – that’s a promise we can keep EVERY DAY! There’s never an excuse to avoid just one minute. [NOTE: There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Take out 8 hours for sleep (480 minutes) and 8 hours for work and you’ve still got 480 minutes left! You can even steal a minute … several times a day … and nobody will ever know but you!]
And if the one turns into 5 or 10 or 14, even better.
[You know you can’t eat just one potato chip! And even 10 seconds of engagement can create momentum. I just “took a minute” to activate a new – long overdue – universal remote control for the TV … which ended up taking half an hour. I’ll take a shorter lunch to make up the difference!]
But the habit remains in place and the counting starts – and continues.
I’ve practised my speed-reading and my left-handed writing for so many consecutive days (and I’m keeping count) – that I just couldn’t bear the idea of going back to zero to start all over again.
So I just keep up the habits … and I keep counting!
Isn’t this fabulous?
Thank you Alex for such a simple yet truly brilliant idea.
Now the question:
Where can you use the One Minute Challenge?
Answer – everywhere!
But, more specifically, for any habit you want to create or maintain.
How about writing one sentence of your book – every single day. Just one sentence!
How about making a one-minute call to a family member every single day. Just one minute!
How about doing one press-up every single day – just one!
Of course you and I know what’ll happen: We’ll write more sentences on many days and suddenly the book will be finished.
We’ll chatter for more than a minute and change someone’s life.
We’ll love the burn and press-up numbers will soar.
The kicker:
WE MUST KEEP NOTCHING THE GUN HANDLE AND KEEP FIRING –
ONE MINUTE A DAY!
That’s what makes this work.
The magic is in the counting – the repetitive firing.
Will you decide where you can use this? How many times a day?
Will you give this a one-minute go?
Will you feel the difference it makes?”
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Don’t be surprised if others start taking notice … if you start becoming more “accomplished” – more “capacitized” … if you start getting more stuff done … if your clothes start fitting differently … if your eyes pick up some extra sparkle … if you feel more alive … if your self-esteem goes through the roof … ! Quartermaster
