Worst Day

Something said in the email today from James Clear rang a bell with me.  I changed it a little as he is referring to habits (although I like the thought of activities I feel I should be involved in becoming habits.)
To me habits imply something hard and fast.  I am not comfortable with that being my starting point, as it implies to me an expenditure of effort to pull myself up by my bootstraps.
I personally think that is the domain of a select few and unless done for an eternal purpose it only achieves (and that is a good thing short term) a result for now.  And most struggle to achieve it.
I can only think of my own experience.  I had a list of habits that I both wanted to do and wanted not to do.  I had ticks to indicate when achieved and crosses to show when I failed.  It was depressing.
Only when I surrendered myself to my makers plan for me did I dream and achieve.  Sorta good I reckon.  I would rather acknowledge need then do it all myself and reach the top only to find my ladder was against the wrong structure.
James Clear said, "When determining the size or complexity of a new [task] ask yourself: What can I stick to — even on my worst day?  Start there. Master the art of showing up. Then advance."
The key there for me is “even on your worst day.”  I have seen and experienced (and no doubt many others have too) others saying they can achieve such and such.  And they can too.  On their best days.  But starting with what can be achieved on my worst day is liberating for me.
To me “inch by inch everything is a cinch.”  I really like to be able to celebrate small victories.  Many small victories make a big victory.
When I bite off more than I can chew I experience a downer.  The goal may even be good, but trying to achieve it all at once is a bridge too far.  I am more inclined to give up then to keep going on something that is achievable in a different way.  It is a bit like the old saying, “How do you eat an elephant?  One chew at a time.”
To me it is better to achieve something a bit at a time then to achieve nothing by attempting too much at once.