I can look back on changes I’ve made in life and trace them back to a phrase or feeling that incited them. This is not a unique experience, but a more universal phenomena. Through a mechanism I call “motivational momentum” I have been able to alter my outlook on career expectations, 10 year goals, fitness habits, and even something as menial as how I shop for groceries and answering emails. Looking back, I can trace what I now recognize the unique moments when I figured out how to pivot and create such changes in my personal and professional life. If you read this comment by ryans01 on Reddit on what he coins as “No More Zero Days,” you might be able to change something that’s been bothering you, too. The whole inspiration for this piece is credited to that Reddit piece and how it has changed my own attitude – all quotes are pulled directly from his original writing. Thank you ryans01!
What is a non-zero day? What makes it unique? How does it work?
First, it’s important to recognize what a “zero day” is – though I can tell you it’s exactly what you think it is. Whatever that “thing” is that you’ve been meaning to get around to, that change you have been promising you’ll start, that dream you will pursue – a zero day is when you do nothing to progress that goal. A zero day happens when you say “I’ll start tomorrow.”
A “non-zero day” is when you do at least one action to make progress on whatever it is you have in the back in your mind stewing: get that dream job, write a book, start a company, make healthier choices, etc.
As a person that has a fair number of goals, projects, and aspirations floating around my mind at every hour of the day, trying to keep track and make significant progress with each one is a daunting task. I belittled myself constantly for all of the projects I neglected. I convinced myself that I would never achieve any of my goals simply because I set so many for myself. Then I discovered the comment written by ryans01 about non-zero days printed out and tucked inside the nightstand that my partner had stashed for himself while packing for a move.
I attribute my current satisfaction in many of my goal progressions to having found and implemented ryans01’s advice. And I am not alone – the internet has taken ryans01’s words as motivational gospel. It has now been copied and shared all over the internet as a positive school of thought for increasing productivity and motivational driver.
When your mind has convinced itself that it’s “too late to start now,” it’s awfully hard to take that first step. So what made me a “believer?”
“Didnt’ do anything all fucking day and it’s 11:58 PM? Write one sentence. One pushup. Read one page of that chapter. One. Because one is non zero.”
It seems silly now, but that one line, Blew. My. Mind. It convinced me that nothing is a lost cause even when you’re staring down the 11th hour.
But it gets better than that. There are four rules laid out to help overcome the part of yourself that is dragging the rest of you down, all of which ties into having (consistent) non zero days.
- No more zero days
- Be grateful to the three you’s (past, future, and current self)
- Forgive yourself (all your self’s)
- Exercise and books
Rule number one (the most important) is having no zero days. If you’re like me, how do you choose which goals to keep from being zero at the end of the day? That great phrase “something is better than nothing” (which traces back to the fifteenth century) means you can do it all. Start your day doing the tiniest piece of every project – and I mean tiny – so when you get to the end of the day, you have the equivalent of a bunch of non zero days – and boy does that impart some good warm and fuzzy feelings.
Before jumping into the goopy, sappy aspect of “love thyself” that comprises rules two and three, I will note that I am not normally a consumer of motivational speakers, books, or otherwise. Hearing genuine accounts of inspired motivation from friends and the stranger that is ryans01 are the most influential and motivational pool of material I need. That said, let’s cover the next two items on the list.
Being grateful and forgiving yourself – you have heard it a million times, but what does that really mean?
“The cycle of doing something for someone else (future you) and thanking someone for the good in your life (past you) is key to building gratitude and productivity.”
Being grateful to yourself is a lot like paying forward “good karma.” If you make a decision today that helps you tomorrow (like starting your homework that isn’t due until next week), be grateful to present you, because future you is going to be grateful for past you. This applies for a whole mess of scenarios, making it really easy to have any number of ways to be grateful to yourself – hurray for more warm and fuzzy feelings!
So what happens when you fail to pay it forward, or end up with a zero for the day?
“[You’re] giving yourself shit for not doing what you need to, to be who you want to. Heads up champion, being disappointed in yourself causes you to be less productive. Tried your best to have a nonzero day yesterday and it failed? so what. I forgive you previous self. I forgive you.”
The days when you fail are never fun. It’s really hard to admit that you didn’t make it, and those are the days we make up the most excuses and try to rationalize our faults a hundred different ways. Instead of climbing back into that hole of “it’s too late, I failed,” forgive yourself and move on. If you have passed the point of no return and you had a zero day, acknowledge that it happened and move the heck on. Dwell too long in the past and your present self will miss your opportunities to have a non zero day today.
Next up, flex your mind and your body for that all over good feeling that keeps on giving.
“[When] you exercise you get high from endorphins (thanks body). when you exercise you clear your mind. when you exercise you are doing your future self a huge favour. […] As for books, almost every fucking thing we’ve all ever thought of, or felt, or gone through, or wanted, or wanted to know how to do, or whatever, has been figured out by someone else.”
A strong body can accomplish a lot – and lead to a longer, fuller life – but a strong mind can accomplish so much more. Combine the two and you can be your own hero – so long as you string enough of your non zero days together. There’s a ton of research and evidence out there that supports rule number four, so you shouldn’t need me to tell you that going for a run every once in a while and reading a book is good for you (not at the same time – watch where you’re going!)
So – if you’re reading this and you have one of those something’s that you’re putting off – this is your sign.
~ Elaine Cizma
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