A couple of years ago January 1 was on a Monday. I had a new planner, new goals, and I felt like nothing could be better than starting the new year, new month and new week all at the same time.

Except that Sunday night I stayed up too late, didn’t prepare for my goals and therefore… I waited another week to start my resolutions.

It’s true that Mondays, the first of the month, or the beginning of the year can be the best time to get motivation for developing new habits and making changes, but sometimes life doesn’t add up that way.

There are always hiccups in any new habit formation. It takes a process to build these skills and make adjustments into your schedule and lifestyle. Sometimes it depends on when payday is so that you can buy the healthy groceries or sign up for that gym membership. Sometimes it depends on what the weather does. Sometimes, Mondays just suck.

After a mentor suggested reading Atomic Habits, I listened to it over the course of about three days. I decided my team needed to read it, so we are working through it together.

Yesterday was Monday, and I really wanted to start working out again and eating right. Except I hadn’t actually thought about it more than just getting up early and working out. So then I didn’t. “I’ll leave work early and work out this afternoon.” I thought. I did leave work early, but then I didn’t feel well and decided to do something else. <Insert your own excuses here.>

Fortunately, on Monday I did make some decisions to prepare me for Tuesday. I changed my alarm and my coffee timer. I decided that I needed to put on my workout clothes immediately when I woke up rather than wait until after reading my Bible. I set out my mat and got the living room ready.

And you know what? This morning I worked out.

So who cares if it’s Tuesday? Or the middle of February? Or you are too young or too old to start that new thing? Guess what? If you wait until Monday you will only be 6 more days behind where you would have been if you had started today. So do that thing. Even if it’s Tuesday.