You’ve probably heard the saying, “If you keep doing the right things, you’ll eventually get the results you want.” This wise advice applies to situations where you’re putting in a lot of effort but not yet seeing much result.

It could be anything from golfing to parenting to working in sales. You seem to be doing everything right, but success continues to elude you. And you begin to wonder if you should just give up.

Autumn is a time when many people are hoping to set new goals, make a new start, and take on new personal initiatives. This is because fall was the season of new beginnings for our most formative years. It’s when we started a new grade in school, facing new academic challenges, accepting new opportunities, and hopefully achieving greater social maturity.

But whether it’s getting in shape, taking control of your finances, or learning a new skill, the key to success will be to make the behavior you need to achieve that goal a habit. Something you don’t debate with yourself about doing. You just do it even when you’re not seeing results.

And that in itself can be a formidable challenge.

Jeff Haden, writing for Inc., observes that when we have a big goal we want to accomplish, we usually set up a daily routine that will help us achieve it.1 This just makes sense. For example, if you want to get in shape, you need to exercise regularly.

But, Haden points out, the problem with a routine (a specific set of things that we do—like a recipe) is that it can easily be derailed. He gives the example of a friend who had an ambitious health routine which centered around his Peloton indoor bike. It included getting up early, eating healthy food, and pedaling for 30 minutes. It was going fine until the pedal broke on the bike. While his friend waited for a replacement, his whole health routine fell apart.

To solve this, Haden recommends replacing your routine with a practice.

At first this sounds like an overly fine distinction. But he goes on to explain that while a routine is simply what you do, a practice is whoyou are.

So, if his friend with the broken Peloton had replaced his routine built around cycling with a practice of daily exercise, he could have lifted weights or gone for a jog when the bike wasn’t available.

Routines are focused what you do. But practices are about the why.

“When circumstances require,” writes Haden, “the what can change, but the why never should.”

If one of your September goals is to finally get your finances under control, talk with your trusted advisor. He or she will be happy to help you create practices that over the long-term will result in greater financial stability and peace of mind.

Sources:

1. http://go.pardot.com/e/91522/ce-practices-not-routines-html/95fh7w/2422541447/h/pkKPJ-8D1or-oyUTRS8P1DdRNRs1LlNISL699JwTruI