Category: Commentary

Most of us desire some form of change in our lives.  We aspire to get in shape, lose weight, read more, learn to play an instrument, or speak a new language.  Maybe we want to earn more money, or succeed in a new profession.  The possibilities for growth and improvement are endless.  Often times we put our aspirations in writing, setting goals and deciding to make serious changes.  But how often do we succeed?  The truth is, often times we fail.  But does it have to be that way?  Can anything make a difference?  Might we be able to increase our chances of personal success?  Perhaps…
 I recently discovered a book, Atomic Habits by James Clear.  This is one of the best and most valuable books that I have ever read.  The author describes his work as an easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones, and promises that with tiny changes you can achieve remarkable results.
 The primary point of this book is that very small (atomic) habits (routines or practices performed regularly or automatically) can produce profound change in our lives.  These habits can compound over time, bringing great results.
 The author gives the example of the British Cycling team to prove his point.  Since 1908, British riders had won only a single gold medal at the Olympic Games, and they had never won the prestigious Tour de France.  All that began to change in 2003 with the hiring of Dave Brailsford as their new performance director.  He adopted a strategy that required searching for ways to make tiny improvements in everything the riders did.  They redesigned bike seats for greater comfort.  They put alcohol on their tires for improved road grip.  They tested various fabrics to make lighter and more aerodynamic racing suits.  They tried different massage oils to improve muscle recovery.  They changed pillows and mattresses to improve the rider’s sleep.  They even hired a surgeon to teach the riders how to better wash their hands to reduce the chances of illness.  These and hundreds of other small improvements accumulated and produced results over time.
 At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing the team won 60% of the gold medals available.  Four years later in London, they set seven world records and nine Olympic records.  British cyclists went on to win the Tour de France in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017.  From 2007 to 2017 British cyclists won 178 world championships and 66 Olympic and Paralympic gold medals, and claimed five Tour de France victories in what is regarded as the most successful run in cycling history.  How did they do this?  They did it by cultivating small, atomic habits that incrementally improved and compounded their success.
 In this book the author shows you how to simply implement a system to foster these small habits.  Especially interesting is his emphasis on identity-based habits as compared to outcome-based habits. Outcome-based habits focus on the result we want.  Identity-based habits focus on who we want to become.  True behavior change only comes with true identity change.  He gives these examples to help clarify this point.  Your goal should not be to simply read a book.  Make it your goal to become a reader.  Your goal should not be to run a marathon.  Instead make it your goal to become a runner.  Don’t make it your goal to learn an instrument.  Make it your goal to become a musician.  Behavior that does not fit with your identity will not last.  When a habit becomes a part of your identity, it will last.  True behavior change is identity change.
 This identity change involves a two-step process.  First, decide the type of person you want to be.  Second, prove it to yourself with small and consistent wins.  These small wins are the habits that you practice.  The way to change who you are is to change what you do.  Each time you sit down at your typewriter or computer, you are a writer.  Every time you practice the piano, you are a musician.  Every day that you complete a workout, you are an athlete.  The most effective way to change your habits is to focus not on what you want to achieve, but who you want to become.  Habits matter not only because they produce results, but because they can change the beliefs you have about yourself.
 Read this book.  It will change your life.

© 2023 Jody Dyer

Here are the facts. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure and about half of those don’t have it under control. Many don’t know they have it and don’t know the damage it is silently causing, and so it gets its name, the silent killer. Family history, race, gender or kidney disease can play a role in our risk factors, and just getting older increases our risk. High blood pressure can contribute to our risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attack, vision loss, kidney disease, sexual dysfunction and plaque buildup in the arteries. It’s also a factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading causes of disability and poor health in the US. It is predicted that by 2060 the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s will double!

Continue reading “Blood Pressure, Blood Pressure, Blood Pressure!”

 “To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter.”

Euripides

 As mentioned last week in part 1 – what follows is a continuing account of a dad and daughter road trip taken a few years ago with my youngest daughter Marigrace (MG).  Our adventure started when we decided to drive from Texas to Chicago to see a ball game. 
 Our Friday night game at Wrigley Field was thrilling (Cubs beat the dastardly Giants 5-4).  The next day our game time was 1:30 p.m., which gave us time to enjoy Chicago style stuffed pizza for lunch (Giordano’s – 1040 W. Belmont Ave. – best pizza on planet Earth!).  Our afternoon game was terrific.  Wrigley Field was as glorious as ever.  And the Cubs spanked the Giants 5-1.  Great game!  Be advised, if you ever visit Wrigley, parking is scarce, so come prepared to pay.  Located in the Lakeview Community of North Chicago, Wrigley Field has no parking lot.  Fans must park on the street, in small private lots, or behind private homes. 
 Reluctant to leave Chicago without taking in a few more sights, the next day we headed towards Lake Michigan for a visit to the Field Museum.  This is well worth seeing (amazing exhibits everywhere you turn) but cost to get in is obscene. 
 Next door is the Shedd Aquarium.  If you like fish, this is a winner.  We ended our afternoon visit by enjoying a hotdog on the shore of Lake Michigan.  Cold, with a little rain, but this was a nice way to end our time in Chicago.
 Next, we drove west through the afternoon to visit family in Newton, Iowa (my wife’s grandmother grew up on a farm in Newton).  There we met “Cousin George,” his wife and sister, and several other family members for the first time.  Iowa was beautiful, with rolling farmland (they grow mostly corn and soybeans) as far as you could see.  The highlight of this stop, other than meeting family that we had never met before, was a visit to the old family farm, and specifically, a visit to the old family barn (over 130 years old and still standing strong).  The old rope swing that Gramma Mac (or Dorothy Dodge, as she was known then), MG’s great grandmother, played on is still there. 
 We also visited the local cemetery, where Joel Dodge (MG’s great-great grandfather) was buried, along with his three wives.  Note – he was not a bigamist.  He only liked being married, so when his first wife died, he married again.  Then when his second wife died, he married a third time.  Just want you to know the truth.  Joel Dodge was a Civil War veteran (fighting on the side of the North).  He was an artilleryman, and was wounded in action at Corinth, Mississippi in 1862.  He lost two fingers on one hand and carried a Minie ball in his knee (some family members say his hip) for most of his life, until it was cut out on the kitchen table of his farmhouse some years later.
 I must say that the whole Dodge family seemed like a pretty tough, and entertaining bunch, especially MG’s great grandmother Dorothy.  Her descendants are still talking about her exploits, as if they happened only yesterday.  Like the time Dorothy (or Todd as she was called by her college friends – a name she acquired because of her skill performing the “Toddle Dance” – a big thing on college campuses in the 1920s) and her friend Biggie showed up for a visit to the Iowa farm late one night.  Someone noticed a single light weaving down the road towards their farmhouse.  Upon closer investigation, they realized it was Dorothy and Biggie in their battered Model T.  Their headlights were not working, so Dorothy drove while Biggie straddled the hood shining a flashlight on the road and calling out directions.  Upon their arrival, the girls made themselves at home downstairs, and Dorothy proceeded to pound out tunes on the family piano.  This roused all remaining family members from bed, including her father, who proceeded to give her a good disciplinary dunking in the water trough outside.  My favorite “Aunt Dorothy” story was the one about her firm interactions with the local school bully.  This little guy, backed by his larger sister, was in the habit of tormenting all of the other children at school, except Dorothy.  At every opportunity, Dorothy would give him a good thrashing, which he wholeheartedly deserved, and she wholeheartedly enjoyed.  
 With a box of homemade chocolate chip cookies for the road, we left Iowa and headed south, stopping in Hannibal, Missouri to visit the Mark Twain Memorial and boyhood home.  This is also worth seeing. 
 Soon we continued on towards home, enjoying Memorial Day in Arkansas (that is another story) before arriving back in Texas.  
I have wonderful memories of our time on the road.  Being with my daughter made this one of the best trips of my life.  I wish we could do it again…      

© 2024 Jody Dyer
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