On a streak, baby!

When great sports teams achieve incredible winning streaks, no one really ever talks about the first victories. No announcer says, “Today, we saw the start of greatest winning streak in sports history.”
 
Yet, those early wins matter the most. The team grows more confident in their abilities. They begin to see themselves as winners. They established a habit of winning. They get the job done and then they do it again.
 
That’s a pretty powerful thing.
 
Developing better habits can work like that too. You consistently get it done, day after day, until suddenly you’re doing it on auto-repeat. Talk about a winner!
 
I promised I’d make chores more fun, and what’s more fun than winning?!
 
Ready to get the party started and create a streak in your own life? 

How it works
Think of a simple and specific habit change you would welcome in your life.

Streaks works best for everyday actions. But hey, we’re making up the rules as we go here at Rock Your Chores. So maybe you have a habit in mind that would be great on a weekly basis, like trying a new recipe or going on a hike.

It’s your streak, baby. You set your intention and define your streak. (Did that feel creepy? Me calling you, "baby." Little bit? For me too.) 
 
Here are a few ideas for everyday streaks—some I definitely need to work on myself. Side note: This streak technique is helping me rock one chore, but more about that in a later post.
 

• Make the bed.
• Wash the dinner dishes.
• Get to work on time.
• Leave work on time.
• Sort mail.
• Drink 2 liters of water.
• Do at least 15 minutes of exercise.
• Floss.
• Read from a real book.
• Wash face before bed.
• Don’t complain. (Just throwing it out there … that’s a hard one, huh?!).

 
1. Pick a habit and track your streak. I make simple hash marks with a dry erase pen on a menu board in my kitchen. I like the visual reminder of my winning record. But I discovered there’s also an app for that if that’s more your jam.
 
2. Celebrate each win, no matter how small. Run around the imaginary bases! Do a touchdown dance. Give your mama a shout out on TV. You’re on a streak! And your badass celebration is wiring your brain for future success. Remember Dr. Fogg’s advice.
 
3. Protect your streak like the fierce competitor you are, but don’t beat yourself up too badly if you do miss a day. That’s the thing about streaks … you can always start a new one, all bright-eyed and hopeful.
 
What I like about this game:

• I enjoy small daily wins.
• I build momentum, confidence and discipline as I am forming a new habit.
• I have the added incentive of not breaking my streak. (It sucks to lose your streak. Once you get started, you’ll fight for it.)
• There’s always another first win. Even if I do break my streak, I have the opportunity to start a new one, and this time with an added incentive. I can break my old record. Just watch me.​