One Minute Challenge

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