Whether starting a new year, a new week, or a new day, creating habits is the best way to achieve the change you desire. Here are six principles for adopting habits that stick:
GET CLEAR ON THE GOAL
First, be clear on the change you want. For example, if you want to become more fit, do you want to run a 5K, finish an ultra-marathon, or take a short walk without being out of breath?
Make sure you know what that goal looks like. Can you visualize and describe it? The clearer you are on the output you’re after, the better your chance of reaching it.
BREAK IT DOWN
Next, break down the goal into small chunks. New Year’s resolutions often don’t work because we want instant gratification.
For example, when pursuing a goal to become fitter, most people go all in. They go for a long run or spend an hour and a half at the gym, when a 20-minute walk would be perfect and more likely to be sustainable. By breaking down the big goal into smaller actions, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
MEASURE WHAT YOU DO
The third step is to measure what you do.
Keeping track of your action steps increases the chances of you taking the action. If you want to achieve a sales target, you’ve got to document every single day calls, appointments, and face to face presentations are made.
Knowing what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it increases your chances by taking these actions of planning and measuring.
BE CONSISTENT
Consistency is what gets results. It’s like a self-esteem bank account. The more consistent you are with your actions, the more you start trusting yourself. This is where the habit starts to form because it becomes part of who you are and what you do.
Consistency is also the hardest of the six steps. Gamify the process because if you make it fun, you’re much more likely to do it.
For example, form a streak, which is like a psychological contract with yourself. Organizations like Peloton send you notifications that say, ‘Don’t forget to get on your bike tomorrow so you don’t lose your streak.” This type of gamification is proven to work.
GET A CHEERLEADER
Whether it’s hiring a coach or finding accountability buddy, it’s important to have someone cheering you on.
Do something that puts you outside of your comfort zone by telling people what you’re going to do because being held accountable helps you stick to the plan.
CELEBRATE YOUR WINS
Finally, take time to acknowledge your wins by looking back each week and reflecting on what’s gone well. Humans often focus on the things go wrong. By celebrating your victories, you’ll find motivation to keep going. Habits take a while to form due to our reptilian brain. We’re cautious about anything that relates to change.
It’s never too late to form new habits. Pick one new habit you would like to create and follow these 6 principles.
