Story: How my 6-year old habit is still going strong 💪

Building a habit is not a quick fix. It is a journey, one filled with trial and error, adjustments, and a whole lot of patience. I have learned that the way we think about habits shapes the way we build them. If you are frustrated that a habit has not stuck yet, read this slowly. It might change your perspective.

1. A habit starts as an idea.

Every habit begins as just a thought, an impulse, a spark, or a casual intention. You might say, “I want to eat better.” But at this point, it is not serious. It is just an idea floating around in your head.

And that is okay. Every habit has to start somewhere. But if you do not give that idea some weight, it will fade.

My Story: Part 1

In January 2016, I tried to start stretching. I told myself I would do 15 minutes a day. I did it once and quit. It was not part of any system. I did not have a plan, I just had an idea. And like most ideas, it did not last long.

2. The idea becomes a priority.

I call it a priority at this stage because it is not a habit yet. It is just something you are choosing to care about. But that priority is going to get tested. If you are struggling to do it consistently, do not just beat yourself up. Ask better questions: Is this really a priority for me? Or am I trying to jump too far ahead of where I am right now? Sometimes we are too ambitious. Sometimes we need to slow down to build up.

My Story: Part 2

At the end of 2016, I built some consistency with my workouts, so I thought, “Let me try stretching again.” But once again, it did not really stick. In 2017, my roommate introduced me to ROMWOD (now Playability), and I liked it. It was guided, simple, and easy to follow. I finally started stretching more and began prioritizing it in my day. The only challenge was that it depended on my roommate. I only did it with him because he had the login. So even though it had become a priority, it was still weak. I needed someone else’s momentum to keep me going.

3. The priority is placed into a routine.

Even if your priority is solid, it needs a routine it can thrive in. If after 30 days you are still feeling constant resistance, it is not that you are weak. It might mean your setup is off. Shrink the habit. Change the time of day. Adjust your environment. The goal is not just to keep doing it. The goal is to build a routine that supports who you want to be.

My Story: Part 3

Later that year, I started reading and learning about how habits actually work. Things like habit stacking, identity, triggers, and friction. That is when it clicked. I started linking stretching to my workouts. It made sense: “If I am already working out, why not stretch before or after?” That shift helped me build it into my flow. I was still inconsistent, but I was finally getting reps in.

4. The priority becomes a habit.

Once your priority becomes automatic, you have got a habit. But that is not the finish line. Now life will test it. You will get busy. You will travel. You will get sick. You will forget. And that is okay. The real question is: What do you do when you miss a day? Habits are not about perfection. They are about resilience. You are not building a perfect streak. You are building a new identity. So show up again. That is where the real power is.

My Story: Part 4

In 2019, I read Can’t Hurt Me by: David Goggins. His story challenged me. He talked about the pain he experienced from not taking care of his body, from not stretching. It hit different. So I made one small change that changed everything. I told myself: “From now on, I will not work out until I stretch.” That one shift locked it in. Since then, I have stretched consistently for over six years. I have missed days, but I always come back.

5. The habit changes you.

This is the part most people miss. Habits do not just change your schedule, they change you. They change how you think, how you talk, how you carry yourself. That is why vision is so important. If you do not have a clear picture of who you are becoming, the habit will always feel random. But if the habit is tied to a bigger purpose, it has staying power.

My Story: Part 5

Stretching now is not just about flexibility. It is a mindset. It is a reminder that I value recovery, health, and longevity. It is part of how I lead myself well. That habit did not just change my routine. It changed how I see myself. And it taught me that habit building is never about doing it perfectly. It is about becoming someone different through the process.

The truth is, habit building is a journey.

It does not happen overnight. It is not always pretty. But when we stop obsessing over results and start focusing on growth, something changes. We stop trying to prove something and start becoming someone. That is the win.

So if you are trying to build a habit, do not just chase the streak. Chase the shift. Let the habit change how you think, how you move, and how you show up in the world.

That is how you build a habit that sticks. 💯