Following are 5 easy steps for achieving greater success. They are all important, but in this case they are counting down to the one most critical during times of multifaceted change:
#5 Decide Which Habit(s) to Add In
Consider your goal and the type of person who achieves that goal. What are they like, what do they do with their time, who do they hang out with, etc... Which habits would you like to add in to your life? Pick 1 to start.
#4 Decide Which Habit(s) to Replace
What is holding you back from greater success? Are there things about the way you live your life or spend your time that you would like to change? Refer back to #5 and consider which of your habits this type of person does NOT have. Which habits would you like to kick to the curb? Pick 1 to start.
Strategize for a few minutes on the best ways to stop doing the unwanted habit and to add in the desired habit. Make a simple, easy-to-do plan for the next 21 days and start NOW. Do something in the next 5 minutes to start your momentum revving!
#3 Focus on the Positives Daily
When making changes, it is important to acknowledge what is being done well. At least once daily (toward the end of the day), do a quick review and list things you did well, naming 1-2 you are most proud of. Positive focus creates a natural support structure when making habit changes. Relying on discipline and sheer force of will is NOT going to be enough. It takes knowing your WHY (see #2 below) and finding ways to stay motivated to change. Celebrating positives frequently will feed your motivation.
#2 Know Your Target
Consider your goal and why you chose it. The right goal will be meaningful to YOU. It will also be scary because it forces you out of your comfort zone, and exciting because it's something you truly WANT. What does achieving this goal really mean to you? If you haven't already, take a few minutes and list all the reasons you want it, and all the reasons you deserve it. Doing this may reshape your goal a bit (that's OK, it is probably a better fit for you now), and it harnesses your WHY power.
Imagine the very moment when you are achieving your goal, including the person you have become, and all the positive ripples it will have in your life and business.
#1 Start From Where You Are
Incremental, small steps done consistently over time will yield much greater results than a blast of energy right out of the gate, a lack of immediate apparent results, and the wake of depression and lack of activity that often follows. Everyone has to start somewhere. The greatest champions started at the very beginning just like everyday joes. For most everyone, the key to long term success lies in small positive shifts and NOT in huge leaps. Consider your goal and determine very doable actions you will perform daily (will, not should), and then make it happen!
Joe, a rare gym goer, wants to be like his very fit friend Nate. He makes a plan to hit the gym for 60 minutes 6 days a week, with heavy weights. He remembers however, last year when 4 days into the New Year, he was so sore he couldn't move and it took him a few weeks to fully recover. By then, he was embarrassed and quit going. This year, logic prevails and he decides he will benefit more from a consistent habit of 4 days of 30 min workouts with lighter weights in the beginning. He decides to give up some of his DVR sessions to make time for his workouts. He realizes he doesn't want to be exactly like Nate, and sets his own meaningful goals; a specific pants size, number of push ups, and cholesterol. He takes advantage of his gym's free orientation and initial personal training consultation and learns several things that will help. He schedules his gym time into his planner and packs his bag with essentials. Each workout, he acknowledges tiny improvements over last time. Within a few weeks, Joe is amazed at the changes he is noticing in his body, and he feels great. To his surprise, Nate is supportive, and he doesn't miss those mediocre TV shows, plus his consistency is paying off and he is getting results!
Here's to your continuing success!
Heather A. Legge
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