This Is Why You’re Not Seeing Results Yet
I just finished Atomic Habits by James Clear… and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Because on the very same day, I hit a streak of 100 workouts.
And I couldn’t help but sit there and think… Oh. This is exactly what he’s talking about.
I think most of us want to be successful.
Whether that’s in writing, business, fitness, or just feeling more in control of our lives.
But we tend to think success is something that happens when…
we finally feel motivated
we find the right time
or we somehow push through with willpower
But the truth is, success is much more like writing… or sports…
It’s a skill.
And like any skill, it’s built slowly. Repeatedly. Imperfectly.
Those first 60 days? They were a grind.
I was rebuilding strength. My stamina wasn’t there yet. Some days felt harder than they should have. There were moments where it would have been very easy to say, “I’ll just skip today.”
But I didn’t.
And somewhere around Day 70, something shifted. I hit my stride. My routines started to naturally help me have the time for my workouts instead of compete with them. I wasn’t forcing it anymore. I actually started looking forward to it. And… I could push harder. I felt stronger. I found my rhythm.
And now? I’m already looking ahead to 150.
Not because anyone says I have to. Because it’s just part of who I am now.
There’s a quote from the book Atomic Habits that hit me hard…
“Time magnifies the margin between success and failure.”
And I’ve felt that firsthand.
Those early days? They didn’t feel like progress. My body was sore. It was hard to convince myself to start the workout.
But they were progress.
Each small workout was stacking. Quietly. Consistently. Building something I couldn’t fully see yet. Working my way to that 1% better.
Another quote that I think smacked me in the face when I read it…
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
This is where most of us get stuck.
We set goals. Big ones. Exciting ones. But we don’t build the systems that make those goals inevitable.
We think willpower will carry us through.
But willpower fades. Systems stay.
And, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from both this book, my own experience, and my work with clients, it’s this…
You have to get clear on three things.
What habit are you trying to build?
Why does it matter to you?
And how are you going to make it happen consistently?
That “how” is where most of the magic lives.
And it doesn’t need to be complicated.
James Clear talks about creating a “gateway habit”
“What you want is a ‘gateway habit’ that naturally leads you down a more productive path.”
Something small. Simple. Easy to start.
Because once you start, it’s easier to keep going.
Think micro habits. Something that take less than 2 minutes to do.
The core principles of the book that helps you get this “gateway habit” started and stay successful at it are this…
“The first three laws of behavior change—make it obvious, make it attractive, and make it easy.”
Not overwhelming. Not perfect.
Easy. That’s it. No need to overcomplicate it.
That’s how habits stick.
And then there’s this one…
“The average person spends over two hours per day on social media. What could you do with an extra 600 hours per year?”
That one made me pause.
Because if small habits build success…
Then small distractions build something too.
The truth is, success doesn’t come from one big moment.
It comes from the small things you do when no one is watching.
The workouts you don’t skip.
The pages you write.
The emails you send.
The time you protect for you creative endeavors.
Stacked together.
Day after day.
Once the habit is built, it stops feeling like work. It just becomes who you are.
If this idea of small shifts and consistent habits is resonating with you, I’d love to invite you into something we’re doing this month.
Inside The Alignment Edit, we’re running a low screen-time creative reset for April.
Because if habits shape our lives…
then creating space away from constant input might be one of the most powerful habits we can build.
✨ When you upgrade your subscription for $7/month, you’ll receive:
daily prompts for one week each month
gentle guidance to build sustainable habits
and a space to reconnect with your creativity
Delivered right to your inbox.
If you’ve been wanting to create more, think more, or simply feel a little more in control of your time…
I’d love to have you join us. 💛
Thank you, Melissa, I loved the pictures from your walks; they remind me so much of ones I had from my own (now too many) years ago in rural Manitoba.
And once again, continuing with our earlier analogy from previous conversations, it's just stacking one good shift on top of the last one, and learning the lessons from the ones that didn't go so well, so that in the end you can always take away a positive balance.
The habits that stuck for me weren't the best ones - they were the easiest ones to repeat without thinking.