2 . The funny thing about basically doing anything is that we typically know what to do. The hard thing is actually doing it, day after day after day. The problem isn’t knowledge. The problem is willpower. Hold that thought.
Last year a friend wanted to get in better shape, so he started the Hard 75 Challenge, which involves following a diet, working out twice a day for 45 minutes each session, drinking a gallon of water, reading 10 pages of a nonfiction personal development book, and taking a picture of yourself. Every day. For 75 straight days.
Fail to complete any of the above on any given day? Start over.
In many ways, Hard 75 is similar to a diet. As anyone who has tried knows, following a specific diet is hard. Temptation. Availability. Consistently making the right choices is hard.
The same is true for exercising outdoors. It’s hard to force yourself to go for a run when your day got away from you and it’s 8 p.m. and raining and 35 degrees. If you can pull off the Hard 75, that’s awesome.
But it’s really hard.
And it was really hard for my friend.
He started, got disappointed, got up the determination to start over, got disappointed, forced himself to start over… while he got in a little better shape, he didn’t make the progress he hoped for.
Then he took a different approach. Instead of following a strict diet, he just created a few simple rules. He wanted to eat healthier, so he cut out all “white” foods (breads, white rice, potatoes, crackers, added sugar). When he went out to eat, he avoided failing to find the “right” food by just choosing the healthiest option available.
And instead of following a specific exercise program, he just decided that he would always work out for at least 20 minutes every day. Most of the time he did longer workouts, but still: The only rule he had for himself was that he would work out for just at least 20 minutes a day. That way he never “failed,” never got disappointed, and never felt like he had to start over. As long as he got his 20, he was good.
The same approach applies to everything. In my case, I decided I needed to drink more water and less soda. So I decided I would always drink water with meals. Within a couple days, that habit became automatic.
Bottom line? Diets are bad. Having to rely on willpower is even worse.
Rules, on the other hand, are easy.
And great, especially when those rules help take you to the place you someday want to be.
1. We can learn about the Hard 75 Challenge that it ____.
| A．lasts 75 days straight without any additional efforts |
| B．imposes demanding requirements on the participants |
| C．requires participants to exercise on hot and rainy days |
| D．aims to cultivate people’s ability to appreciate literature |
2. The author’s friend failed to make the progress he hoped for because ____.
| A．he was not determined enough | B．he didn’t have enough knowledge |
| C．he made the wrong choices | D．he followed a strict diet |
3. What a different approach would the author’s friend took to keep fit?
| A．Picking his own diet and always follow it. | B．Eating the healthiest foods available. |
| C．Sticking to doing intense exercise indoors. | D．Pushing himself to prolong daily workouts. |
4. The author will probably disagree that ________.
| A．in most cases we typically know what to do | B．persisting in doing something daily is hard |
| C．we might well fail with stronger willpower | D．some simple rules are easier to carry out |
5. According to the passage, simple rules can ________.
| A．help you achieve goals by making the habit stick | B．encourage people to drink enough water |
| C．reverse the effect of relying on willpower | D．prevent you from getting lost in a place |
