The only thing harder than starting a good habit is breaking a bad one.

When you divulge in something like smoking or drinking for years and years, your body almost becomes reliant on it. It becomes a part of your lifestyle and you eventually reach a point to where you forget what life was without it.

It’s once you hit that level is when it becomes almost impossible to quit.

I was in the same boat exactly 14 months ago when I quit drinking. Despite not being an avid drinker, I still couldn’t see myself being completely sober in a world where drinking has become a norm.

But I told myself, “I’ll try it for a little bit and see how far I go.” Fast forward fourteen months and I don’t have any intention on going back soon.

However, I realize for some people it might not be this easy. That’s why I’d recommend something like Ryan Holiday’s method to quitting bad habits.

Years ago, Ryan Holiday—the author of books like Discipline is Destiny or Ego Is The Enemy—decided to quit drinking alcohol for 30 days. He didn’t necessarily have a big problem with drinking, but he knew it was taking away the clarity and focus he needed to write books.

So he made the decision to not quit forever, but just for 30 days. A little detox so to say.

But during those 30 days he noticed how much more productive his mornings were, how his writing seemed to flow more. He realized that it took a temporary pause to realize he never wanted it in the first place.

And now, years later, Ryan is still sober and preaches about sobriety and uses his newfound clarity to write bestselling books and maintain a business around helping others adopt a Stoic lifestyle.

I know I’ve been talking a lot about quitting drinking, but this method doesn’t only apply to that. Whether you want to quit smoking, stop your spending habits, or eliminate junk food out of your life, thirty days might be all you need to realize how much better your life is without it.

You don’t have to tell yourself right now it’s going to be forever. But you might be surprised that when those thirty days are up, you could be willing to go a little longer and not break that streak.

Take it from someone who’s done it in their own life. What’s the harm in thirty days when the upside is that it could likely change your life?

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m now reading Zen In The Art Of Writing by Ray Bradbury. A memoir slash guide that contains the wisdom and experience of one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century.

Quote Of The Week - “The pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret.” — Sarah Bombell