Almost True

Almost True

Everywhere you turn, someone’s telling you how to live. A lot of times it’s well-intentioned and Almost True, but misses the mark in ways that can hurt us. How do we know which truths will actually lead to a meaningful life?

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The Power of Habits

What you do every day is largely a result of your habits, not your decisions. A study from Duke University found that up to 40% of our daily actions are a result of habits. This is why people with similar goals often get different results; goals don’t determine success, systems do. As author James Clear puts it, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals, but you fall to the level of your systems.”

A powerful example of this is the biblical figure Daniel. His remarkable success and character weren’t due to one single heroic act, but a consistent, lifelong habit. He prayed to God three times a day, every day. This one “keystone habit” served as the anchor for his entire life, influencing all his other decisions. Daniel’s story shows that you should never underestimate what can be started through one small, faithful act of obedience.

Building a New Habit

To create a new, positive habit, there are two key steps:

• Make it obvious. Design your environment to support your goals. For instance, place your vitamins on the counter where you’ll see them, or put a book on your pillow to remind you to read before bed.
• Make it easy. Start with a very small, simple action. Instead of trying to read the whole Bible in a year, commit to reading just one verse a day. Starting small builds momentum and makes it easier to stick with the habit over time.

You can create a system for your new habit by using this simple formula: “I will do [new habit] after I do [current habit].” This links a new action to an existing routine, making it easier to remember. For example, “I will do five push-ups after I make my morning coffee.”

The most crucial part of habit formation is identity. Our habits are a reflection of who we believe we are. The goal is to focus on who you want to become, not just what you want to achieve. When you define your desired identity, your actions begin to align with that person.

Consistency is Key

Change rarely happens overnight. Your life is the sum of all the small decisions you make. While a single good or bad action may seem insignificant, their cumulative effect over time is massive. Your small acts of faithfulness are not wasted; they are being stored up. At some point, you will hit a “tipping point” where the results become undeniable to everyone else. They may call you an “overnight success,” but they won’t have seen the years of private sacrifice and consistency that led to that moment.

Remember, “it’s the things that no one sees that bring results everyone wants.” The key is to not grow weary in doing good. As a Christian, your ultimate goal should be to become more like Christ. Success isn’t found in a distant result, but in being faithful to God in the small things, today.