The 2 Day Rule: A Realist Approach to Making Progress & Driving Your Life Forward

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There are many benefits to developing great habits, but perhaps my favorite is this: A good habit is a building block in who you become in the future.

But it can be very challenging to develop a new habit despite having great intentions.

Our brains are powerful tools. We are so good at planning, strategizing, and thinking. But when it's time to put our plans into action…well, not so much.

We can all agree that we're incredibly imperfect, deeply flawed, and rarely as disciplined as we wish to be.

Our plans are perfect! Our execution sucks!

Of course, one of the reasons that our execution is so faulty is because, well, life rarely, if ever, goes as we plan. So our intent to start lifting more weights, eating healthier meals, and reading more books sounds perfect.

Life isn't perfect.

Getting to the gym to start that new training program gets interrupted by your car needing a new battery. And that new diet you spent hours running through that health app on your phone—didn't seem as appealing when those hot enchiladas arrived at the table next to you.

Building great habits is critical to one's success. It requires things like discipline, willpower, and focus. But we are all human (as far as I know) and seldom have these three superpowers at our disposal, especially on our most demanding days.

The Point of Any Good Habit

Former Navy Seal Jocko Willink sends a screenshot of his watch to his Instagram followers upon waking up at 430 am for his morning workout.

David Goggins, another former Navy Seal, turned ultra-marathon runner, motivates as he pushes through 20-mile runs in the desert heat.

Both men inspire me. I like their content. Their words. Appreciate their work and what they have to say.

I'm not waking up at 430 am on purpose or running 20 miles for fun.

These are extreme ends of discipline, growth, and habit-building. It inspires, but most of us prefer more sleep, don't want to compete in ultra-marathons, and just want noticeable improvement in our lives.

There's no need to start living military-style discipline if it makes you or the people around you miserable. Most people don't respond well to such stringent lifestyles.

Whereas what we ultimately seek is simple: progress. Tiny improvements. Growth that we can see over time.

Of course, to experience this growth, we will have to exhibit some self-discipline in ways that take us outside our comfort zone. This is inevitable.

But we don't have to be what we perceive to be perfect. Perfectionism creates procrastination.

So, instead of designing the perfect plan to make significant changes in our lives, let's consider some rules (or a rule).

Why We Need A Rule

If we all agree that living like a Navy Seal isn't our style, why do we still admire stories like Willink and Goggins? They're overcoming Resistance in their life.

Resistance, with a capital R, is a word coined by writer Steven Pressfield. He describes it as the most toxic force on the planet.

He also says,

Yeah, that's not good.

So let's get real. We're up against it here. Transforming our lives through life-changing habits will face Resistance.

No excuses. We must confront this challenge head-on.

Which forces us to consider the fact that we need rules. Constraints. Not because we want to be back in school again. We need help—something on our side in this battle.

A rule so easy it forces change.

How The 2-Day Rule Works

I first read about the 2-Day Rule in James Clears Atomic Habits (he refers to it as 'never miss twice'). He wrote, " I can't be perfect, but I can avoid a second lapse. As soon as one streak ends, I get started on the next one."

If you're like me, you might tend to procrastinate well-planned habits in search of the perfect moment. Punt perfect workout schedules until next week or healthy eating until some designated event on your calendar has passed. I doubt I'm alone.

All the while allowing the pursuit of perfectionism in your goals to stand in the way of progress.

So the next time you want to start a new habit, try this instead.

How to apply: Take any habit you hope to implement and never miss twice.

Want to start a writing habit? Want to start exercising? Want to start reading? Want to start showering? Wait, no, please don't skip days on that habit.

Ok, you get the point.

I've used this strategy to grow in my most significant habit: reading. I try to read daily for at least 30 minutes. But some days, when the little one is down after a long day, I don't have the energy to read for 30 minutes. So I read ONE page and see where it goes.

I'll start a new streak the next day if I miss completely. But if I can get at least that one page in, I've kept the streak alive and more importantly, momentum at my back.

Any habit creates a pattern over time—good or bad. Clear declares, "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement."

Our habits aren't missing perfectionism. That's impossible. Our habits are missing consistency. Without consistency, good habits never have time to grow into the benefits we chose them for in the first place.

Furthermore, we never gather the incredible power of momentum.

Again, our goal for our habits—and life—is progress. You create progress with consistency and momentum.

This is where the 2-Day Rule is so valuable. It reduces the friction in being perfect while increasing the odds you can positively build a strong practice. So you can keep your momentum and cash in on the compounding power of your habit.

Look at the 2-Day Rule, not as another rule to follow or add unnecessary pressure to your desire to start a habit. Instead, it's simply a 'hack' to prevent the compound effect from working against you.

A pattern forms when you fail to perform a habit of your choosing. Just not the one you desire. But by implementing the 2-Day Rule, you stop the bad habit from forming, eliminating the downward spiral that can take away your progress.

Sure, you may not satisfy your desired new habits every day, but you're not forming the pattern of missing them.

Progress baby, progress.

A Few Final Thoughts

There's a saying that nobody knows who said first that goes like this, "Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years."

I think this thought process applies here.

When we think of starting a new habit: working out, reading books, journaling, eating healthy, etc. Our plan is flawless.

We aren't flawless. And life is busy. Things come up. We have days our energy is less than spectacular. Kids get sick, things break in our house, the weather interrupts our plans, and willpower is fleeting throughout the day.

Still, it's worth fighting against the toxic compounds of life and habits.

Stop overestimating what a habit will do for your life if you perfect it.

And see what a less perfect habit will do if you follow the 2-day Rule.

What's the biggest obstacle holding you back from life-changing habits? Let me know by emailing [email protected].