From the moment I first meet my new puppy, I cradle them on their back and rub their belly. It is my favorite way to pet my dogs and it fosters great trust for them to be so vulnerable. The pup usually outgrows the practice, but with my current dog, she has climbed into my lap almost every day. As a result, I have a 58# belly that I can rub with ease.
There is no way that I could have this dog in my lap if today was the first time that I tried to do it. She needed to learn that it was a desirable thing to do and I needed to build up the endurance to lift her one pound at a time. I didn’t notice the difference between 57 and 58 pounds and couldn’t lift that much weight now if I hadn’t been lifting her all along. But by doing it every day, it has become so natural that I didn’t even think about it until my vet asked if she could take this picture.
While I doubt that many of you set out to become belly-rubbing pet owners, the principle rings true for whatever practices you are trying to instill in your personal life or organization. Understanding your end goal helps you build capacity and the stamina to reach it. You start small – with a seemingly insignificant behavior – and repeat it daily over the long term. One more contact/day leads to a robust network; 10 squats every day and soon you’re able to do 20, etc. Soon it becomes part of your fabric and you forget that you are gaining ground, even though you are.
Unfortunately, the process works on negative behaviors too – spending an extra $3/day adds up to over $1000 frivoled away each year; an extra snack at the vending machine each afternoon adds ounce by ounce to your overall heft – so it is essential to be conscious of the impact your minor actions are having.
Whether towards good or bad, repetition reigns. Be very intentional about whatever you do over and over again.
