You’ve probably heard of the productivity method used by comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Brad Issac wrote an article about it back in 2007. The method is known as “Don’t break the chain.”

In the article Issac describes how he was hanging around comedy clubs, doing open mic nights and trying to get better at being a comic. One night he was in the same club as Jerry Seinfeld and took the opportunity to ask him if he had any tips for a young comic. Seinfeld’s reply was that to be a better comic you had to create better jokes and to create better jokes you have to write every day. Every day, even when you don’t feel like it.

But writing every day was just the goal. It’s how Seinfeld suggested Isaac force himself to write every day that’s important.

Seinfeld told Issac to get a big wall calendar with a whole year on one page and hang it where he could see it. For every day that Isaac completed his task of writing he could put a big X over that day. After a few days he’d have a chain. With each day he wrote the chain would grow longer. Isaac’s only job once he got going was “Don’t break the chain”.

It’s a useful method. Simple and helpful.

But there’s a flip side, and it’s just as important.

It’s the bad chain that you need to break. The chain that’s not doing you any good. The chain that you’re allowing to grow longer every day out of habit. Knowingly or unknowingly your’re allowing the wrong chain to grow. Instead of “don’t break the chain” you need to “break the chain”.

Sitting watching TV every night? Break the chain.

Spending hours on social media every day? Break the chain.

Eating unhealthy food for every meal? Break the chain.

What chain are you keeping that isn’t doing you any good? Break it.