So, yesterday we covered the the approaches to change that research shows don’t work well.
Here there are as a quick reminder:
- Motivate myself by focusing on someone I admire for achieving so much (e.g. a celebrity role model or great leader).
- Think about the bad things that will happen if I don’t achieve my goal.
- Try to suppress unhelpful thoughts (e.g. not thinking about eating unhealthy food or smoking).
- Rely on willpower.
- Fantasize about how great my life will be when I achieve my goal.
Here’s the ones that do seem to work well.
And why.
Make a step-by-step plan
The things we want can often seem too far away.
Getting there is so daunting we often give up.
Break down what needs to be done into ‘bite sized chunks’.
And do them.
One at a time.
Remember – the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Tell other people about my goals
Accountability is a big part of success.
Telling people you’re going to do something means you’re more likely to keep going when it gets tough.
Tell everyone what it is you want to do and keep them updated and you stand a much better chance of getting there.
Think about the good things that will happen if I achieve my goal
Carrot > stick.
No one climbs a mountain to get away from the bottom of it.
Reward myself for making progress towards my goal
Break the journey down (see plan) and reward yourself when you make each milestone.
Good stuff – not crappy food or booze.
Makes the whole process more enjoyable.
Record my progress (e.g. in a journal or on a chart)
Shows you how far you have come.
Reminds you of the challenges you’ve overcome along the way.
Puts it all context.
Hope these things have all helped.
Try using some of them in your ‘journey of change’.
Let us know if you’ve got any questions as to how.
Much love,
Jon ‘I slipped on a crab’ Hall and Matt ‘Epic Winning’ Nicholson