Do It for a Day: How to Make or Break Any Habit in 30 Days

by Mark Batterson

The New York Times bestselling author of Win the Day challenges you to adopt seven powerful habits for thirty days and start your journey toward reaching your God-sized dreams.

Destiny is not a mystery. Destiny is daily habits. Our lives are built on our patterns of both constructive and counterproductive habits. Whether we attain the things we desire—mental and physical health, financial freedom, fulfilling relationships—is determined by the things we do and the things we don’t. The good news? You’re one habit away from a totally different life!
 
You don’t have to tackle the next 30 years.
You just have to start with right now.
 
In Do It for a Day, you’ll begin by identifying a change that is “3M”: measurable, meaningful, and maintainable. Habit formation is both an art and a science, and it helps to close the gap between you and your goals. You can do anything for a day, and those daily habits have a domino effect over time. Mark Batterson will help you hack your habits. Leveraging habit-making and habit-breaking techniques like habit switching and habit stacking, Mark will coach you step by step for 30 days that will change your life.

Genres: Christian, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development

272 pages, Hardcover

Published November 2, 2021

About the author

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. One church in seven locations, NCC owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, The Miracle Theatre, and the DC Dream Center. NCC is currently developing a city block into The Capital Turnaround. This 100,000-square-foot space will include an event venue, child development center, mixed-use marketplace, and co-working space. Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times best-selling author of seventeen books, including The Circle Maker, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Play the Man, Whisper, and, most recently, Double Blessing. Mark and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children: Parker, Summer, and Josiah.

Reviews

[Ginger Hudock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about habit change written from a Christian point of view by pastor Mark Batterson. There are plenty of Bible stories and verses included. This book was ok, but I have read many better books about habit change.
I received a complementary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batterson wrote about seven powerful habits in Win the Day. Habits are hard to make and break. Batterson released a journal for that book earlier this month. Now he has added another leg to this habit making journey, giving readers thirty days of teaching, inspiration and encouragement.

You can do anything for a day, Batterson argues. His thesis for this book: “Almost anyone can accomplish almost anything if they work at it long enough, hard enough, and smart enough.” (1878/3996) He delivers here a plan to hack our habits over the course of 30 days, taking about ten minutes a day. He spends some time on habits, how they are formed and how they are broken. Then he spends three days each on the seven habits from his previous book.

This book is full of information for Christians who desire to understand habits, how they are formed, and how they can be switched and stacked and leveraged. He includes scores of inspiring stories of people who accomplished the near impossible, from small beginnings to lasting influence. He shares his own experiences too.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to live intentionally, taking control of habits through the power of the Holy Spirit. You'll read some incredible stories and you will also receive some very practical instruction on habit forming. You don't have to read Batterson's other two books on habits to receive the full benefit from the teaching in this one.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Sierra Slater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went back and forth during this book. I wanted to give it three stars only because it wasn’t a fun read for me. It was hard and a thinking book. Habits are important and important to me so I picked a habit to make and a habit to break during this reading and would say it has helped me make my habit a little bit but not necessarily break a habit haha. This book doesn’t deserve 3 stars just because I didn’t enjoy it. It is a good book. Inspiring and so centered around Jesus, the Bible, and Holy Spirit which I love. The end was way better than the beginning. Definitely took me more than 30 days to read but I don’t regret it. Unlike any other ordinary habit making book Mark Batterson brings Scripture and an eternal mindset into habit making. His stories were sometimes unnecessary and repetitive but he definitely got his point across.

[Blake Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the only negative thing I would really say is that he has more of a tendency to be repetitive than most authors I have read. Multiple callbacks to other books of his that I have read, repeating certain stories that were told seven chapters prior, but I also understand the importance of repetition.

That being said, the principles and rules that are laid out here are excellent if you are looking to create a brand new habit, or destroy an old one that needs to go. It’s worth it to read a few pages every day for a month and get some perspectives on a fresh start!

[Tom Burkholder · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book Do It For A Day, author and pastor Mark Batterson, writes about building your life on daily patterns and habits. Batterson writes: “Potential is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God. How? By making or breaking the habits that will make or break you.”
Batterson says changing our habits begins with the 3M’s - measurable, meaningful, and maintainable.
Baterson writes that a big first step to change our habits is to change our thinking. He writes: “On average, sixty thousand thoughts fire across our synapses every day. If your thoughts about yourself were transcribed, what would they say? According to a study done by the Cleveland Clinic, 80 percent of our thoughts are negative. That’s a scary thought, pun intended. That’s why sanctifying your self-talk is so important. Self-talk is the source code. That’s where the battle is won or lost. As he thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
This was a great read with lots of habit-making and habit-breaking techniques to fuel daily change in your life! I would highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Mhughessc · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Do It for a Day: How to Make or Break Any Habit in 30 Days" was written by Mark Batterson as a guide to help his readers defeat any habit that feels unbeatable. He recommends seven new habits such as "Flip the Script","Fly the Kite", and others. Overall, this was a very helpful book but the information didn't seem new or profound. It was still very informative!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Lee Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m sorry to say that this is not one of my favorites. While there are many excellent points—and I highlighted a bunch of them—they are buried in cliches, witticisms, and plays on words.

If you’re in any way familiar with personal motivation and productivity speakers, you’ve heard all these sayings and concepts before. These are just applied to Christian life principles. They also have all the shortcomings of motivational literature.

Recommended.

[Taylor Cantwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for a Christian perspective on how to change our habits. It has a good approach for how to tackle it one day at a time which I think is practical for most readers. I like the way it is tied in with bible verses and found this book to be overall encouraging! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

[Tom Corcoran · Rating 4 out of 5]

First: Read this book along with Win the Day Journal. Odd but having the journal makes this book more "useable". Second: This book is not a typical "how to". It gives suggestions and examples of why those suggestions make sense but there is no check list. It's designed for a 30 day window of opportunity - I had trouble sticking to a "concept" per day because between each day is a wealth of info that takes time to assimilate. Some might quit reading because they are reading to finish a goal...as the author in points out that's part of the reason we fail. Experiment! Goals and deadlines are not the same. The negative to my reading was when I absorbed the info from a particular day and then (almost as if it were hindsight) the author added more thoughts about that day later...but that's how I'm wired. So much information it must have been challenging to figure out how best to organize it all. Great book! Highly recommend it - perhaps re-read it over and over ..

[Bethany Zimmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author and pastor Mark Batterson's "Do It For A Day" is a devotional style book closely related to his book "Win the Day." I've always been a fan of Batterson's writing and was excited to receive a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book does no reinvent the wheel by any means in regards to habit change but it is helpful. Batterson relies on the 3M's for implementing/changing new habits: Make it measurable, meaningful and maintainable. Great practical advice. The book is chockfull of statistics, studies, scripture, and life experiences to bring the point home. Batterson's voice in this book reminds me of a coach, He exhorts, encourages and tells you to go for it, you have to start somewhere!

I think this book would make a great graduation gift, too.

[Dave Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book at Hobby Lobby on clearance. What a shame. This book is extraordinary. It's all about forming good habits and breaking bad ones. Batterson's thesis is simple. Do it for a day! It's the old proverb, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time" fleshed out in wonderful ways. Combining scriptural stories with stories of more modern people with plenty of examples, Batterson writes a useful, instructive and highly relatable book. Following his own format, the book is designed to be read a chapter a day, which is essentially how I read it, and as a result I have already done some work on a few of my habits and learned a lot in the process. This thing is inspiring. Pick up your copy ASAP, as a matter of face, do it today.

[Anthony Hessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the perfect follow-up to Mark’s book, Win the Day, as it takes and expounds on the seven habits that help people transform their lives on a daily basis, in an intentional 30-day journey to make and/or break a habit - one that could be the one to unlock and propel us to a totally different life. Through his usual insightful, fresh, and practical writing style and format, he covers the importance of habitualization and offers sound and meaningful ways on how to deconstruct and reconstruct our daily habits. As I mentioned in my review of Win the Day, this book has also proven to be an instant favorite, and has been another truly life-changing book, impacting me and the way in which I approach my goals and dreams! Do it for a Day, and Win the Day!

[Another_Book_to_Ponder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is the “Baby Steps” to Win the Day! I really like the day by day approach Mark takes us through. Day One challenge … pick a habit. Taking 10 minutes a day and building on for 29 more days gets you to building those habits. This has made some of my habits much more attainable. If you need help in this area this book will definitely help get you there!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

[Sally Mander · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, Habit maker

DO IT FOR A DAY
by Mark Batterson

In DO IT FOR A DAY, the author tells us that yes, habits can be changed or modified. He also shows you how to Make or Break Any Habit in 30 Days. If you stick with your goals, you will have fulfillment and completion at the end of 30 days.

Highly Recommend. #inspirational #selfhelp #2021newrelease

Much gratitude to #multnomahbooks @multnomahbooks for the complimentary copy of #doitforaday I was under no obligation to post a review.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The point of this book is that one can do anything for one day. The reading pace is recommended as one reading per day. it is written in day portions. The author is encouraging the reader to make or break a habit. I read this as part of a launch group electronically. I did take a lot of notes. I read it slightly faster than one portion a day, but I made sure to take a break in between each portion. There is a huge amount of information in the book, so you will want to take your time.

[Denisa Ostas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book takes you through a 30-day habit change period. It works good as a daily reading book. The christian view of topic gives a highlight to this book. You will find verses and exemples from the bible that will focus on changing the habits you want to change.
I would buy this book as a gift for anyone!

[Brenda Bumford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time to start all over!

This is one of the few books that I know I will read again! Each lesson spoke volumes and taught me so much. Is it worth the time each day to sit and read? Absolutely! Would I recommend this book? Absolutely, but not for just one read. Read it again! And again! Can you do it for a day? Absolutely! Time to eat the frog! But it and get started!

[Debbie Sherfey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Not just for the habit making/breaking guidance, but I enjoyed the stories, many historical in nature, at the beginning of most chapters! I learned a lot from these stories I immediately wanted to flip to the front and read it again and note the things I wanted to try! Great book for someone trying to make/break a habit. You can't beat a Mark Batterson book!

[Ma'Sheka Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I overall enjoyed this book. It provided a lot of facts and stories that I didn’t know about. I felt motivated and empowered. Towards the end of the book, I think I needed the same momentum from the beginning. I would recommend this book. This book you can read more than once. There are a lot of Bible verses and good quotes in this book.

[Olivia Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read with a lot of cool stories, and is definitely an interesting self-help book. That being said, I don't think I'd really categorize it as a "habit" book. A lot of the points made were more like life advice, goal setting, etc. I don't regret reading it, because the anecdotes were fun, but still... more for general life improvement than habits.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed Mark Batterson’s books and his Biblically based wisdom and insight. This book is no different and encouraged me in my journey of adding new habit and stopping destructive ones.

The past year and half I have more self-help and Christian self-help books than I thought I would ever read. I don’t feel I was so low that I thought these books were my only help, but it was as if I was surrounding myself with wise and gifted friends that could encourage me.

Just like in life we begin to hear the same encouragement and wisdom from those people we surround ourselves with when we are striving for excellence in our lives. I have begun to hear the same stories and accounts from these “self-help” authors, speakers, and pastors. I started to get annoyed abs even in this book I began to think you already told us this story in “Win the Day”. However, the Lord reminded me that I haves tendency to be slow to catch with things and repetition has been the best practice. So hearing Pastor Mark retell these stories and accounts from his past books has been great. To be honest, I may need to listen to this book several more times before these truths set in.

[Janet Yonkheym Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as good as win the day. Very practical inspiring solid principals. Short sections to read each day but power packed with things to think about and put onto practice. This is not only a must read but a read again book!

[Sarah E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great wisdom in this thirty-day devotional designed to help you see the bigger picture and live a life full of consistency and intentionality.

Quote I liked: "Potential is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God."

[RobiNevers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of cliches and not sure if the book was about habits or religion. I enjoyed and was inspired by some of the stories and also the religious references. However, I was expecting more clarity on forming habits and this read left me confused.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is power-packed with wisdom, encouragement, and practical implementation strategy to change any habit. I highly recommend it!!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great way to change or start a habit. Slow and steady wins the race! Pick a habit and make it measurable, meaningful, and maintainable.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of very interesting material but overwhelming and makes me feel like a loser.

[Linda O'Dell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend all Mark Batterson's books! He is like a coach for enthusiasm in loving and living life fully as God intended.
And lots of Biblical wisdom thrown in.

[Brian Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a daily read that goes well with his book, "Win the Day".

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to try to change a habit this book helped me. Mark writes short stories that help bring the points home.