If you have been visiting closely and have not seen a new post, it is because I’ve had to cope with poor connection for a few days. But then, this post comes in timely as the New Year is exactly 30 days away. 30 days more and the once new year just graduates into another new one, and the time for personal re-evaluation will come again. I recently picked up my journal and saw my goals for 2008. For some, I have achieved, surprisingly I have forgotten some!

I really felt bad because part of the strategies to achieving your long term objectives/goals is to review them and log them carefully against your benchmarked goals every month. So I am tackling some of them with a 30 day plan of action. I remember those days in Great Ife when we gave positive habit-formation a code name – Build your muscles. Just like muscles, bad and good habits are formed and become strong by continuous use.

The 30-day trial is a concept used by information technology and software firms, by which a free trial version of the programme is made available for use. It gives a short time period to test run the product thereby measuring its efficiency and reliability. Using this tool for personal development actually works well. It is a powerful method for stopping bad habits, developing new routines and reduces the pressure of making a permanent change to your life style at once. In my previous post on how to be an early riser, was actually put to a 15 day test when I was an undergraduate.

Most times our goals are habit forming and stopping (only if it is not finance!). Go then, if you do not want this year end as if you never planned being stronger and better. Look for that paper or book, check out that plan you wanted to achieve. Face up to the challenge of the person you wanted to be, remember your plan to;

# Pray and meditate every morning

# Give up cigarettes, drinks and junk food and other unhealthy addictions of food and drink. I used to know a doctor who took up to four bottles of soft drinks everyday!

# Becoming an early riser, and quit being a sleep king.

# Write in your journal every day.

# Write a new blog entry every day.

# Read one important book on a subject that interests you.

# Learn a new vocabulary  every day.

# Giving up TV addicting habits

Next, tell someone. Boast about it. Meet up to the challenge by creating an expectation from other people. Maybe especially people you told and you failed at it. Write it on your wall; keep a log of the events as the days run by. Set a reward ahead of you, which is a principle of baiting.

If you can succeed in 30 days, you can succeed forever. To imbibe a bad habit, you must have done it consistently for 30 days-consciously or unconsciously; therefore to break the habit or form a good on you must deliberately follow and pursue it for a minimum of 30 days.

2009, is just around the corner, time to break new grounds and explore better options. Wouldn’t you try something new than your old lists?

selah