I’m about as far removed from a rebel as you can get. It’s been a source of shame for years. But, as I’m discovering, this goody-two-shoe-ness can actually be a real advantage.
I’ve been thinking a lot about habits recently, off the back of reading James Clear’s Atomic Habits. The principles in that book — build a small habit first, habit stack, etc. — have already affected my life. But one question occurs: are these habits, or are they rules?
For example, after reading Atomic Habits, I now put my phone on charge at 9pm. There it lies, in the far corner of the bedroom, untouched until the morning. This has been effective — I’m reading more, sleeping better, and all the good stuff. But is this an unconscious habit? No way — I have to wrestle with myself to get to that charger. It is, however, a simple rule: phone goes to bed at 9. That’s that.
The real power is rule + habit. Another rule of mine is that I run three times a week; I have a habit that I follow that run with a healthy lunch. The rule is the foundation, the habit is the brickwork on top.
I find habits hard to make. Rules, for me at least, are easy. If a rule is there, I have to follow it. For the first time, this seems like it might be a strength.