For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of our own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

(NIV, Acts 17:28)

As a boy I heard other youngsters chant,

“One, two, three, four, five, I’m alive!
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and then again!”

This communicated their vivacious spirit.

Many start the year with this mindset as they anticipate new accomplishments. New beginnings infuse us with new energy. Yet according to a study, only nine percent stick with their goals and more than half abandon their goals within the first three months of the year. Why is that? Jay Papasan, co-author of The ONE Thing, during the 66-Day Challenge Kickoff Zoom Call on January 5, 2024, offered that there are three pitfalls when trying to adopt a new habit: habit boredom, wanting to declare victory too soon and starting too big.

Repeatedly undertaking the same ritual can seem boring indeed. But what is the objective of repetition? It is to attain mastery. Professional musicians and athletes understand this. They seek to not just become good but to master every nuance that is involved. They are striving to become someone else to attain that mastery. We can be gold medal performers in our field too.

Before a habit is cemented, we can tend to declare victory too soon. The 66-Day Challenge was created because it takes that long to lock in a new habit to where it becomes a part of us, or we have become the person who exhibits those new habits.

Although it is encouraged to have big goals, we must start with small steps. Dr. B.J. Fogg in Tiny Habis advocates that with tiny habits you can stick with the same small step daily and build from there.

With consistent optimism about our future selves and knowing why adopting this new person is so important we find new reasons and ways to live like we are alive.

One, two, three, four, five, I’m alive!
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and then again!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

(NIV, Gal 6:9)