“We are what we repeatedly do." Aristotle
In the book The Power of Focus authors Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitt state that "up to 90 percent of our normal behavior is based on habits." That means that one by one our daily habits build the quality of life that we lead. In the past, habits formed that served you in some way…the time you go to sleep, how you react in situations, how you communicate, what you eat, what you believe, how you perceive, how you focus your time, etc. Because habits run on autopilot we forget what a major influence they are in the results we experience. It is frightening to recognize that we rarely, if ever, change habits or even take a look to see which ones are in place. Are your daily habits serving you? When was the last time you checked? Here are 5 steps to show you how to change life and be unlimited by making a long-term positive impact one habit at a time.
Attention- First, pay close attention to your daily actions. Are there any to improve, add, or eliminate? One positive, new, long term habit a month results in 12 rewarding habits in place by the end of a year, 60 after 5 years. Wow, imagine how your life might be different then! Secondly, pay attention to new possibilities. Take a look at the Ideas Bank of possible daily habits you may not have thought of at http://startingnowcoaching.com/_wsn/page15.html .
Adjust- Make a list of new habits to develop that would lead to high quality living long term, and those you want to eliminate or replace. What habits do you want to add or eliminate? Instead of eliminating a bad habit you may add a good habit. For example, instead of choosing to stop snacking you may opt to drink more water. The water fills you and automatically reduces snacking. Then choose one to focus on incorporating into your life each month for maximum focus and success. If you choose more, select one as your primary habit. Choose what you want, not what someone else wants for you.
Activate- Know your motivation up front. What will you gain by making this shift? How will you be different? How will you feel once you have succeeded? What positive results may come from making this change? Review your motivation daily while taking action to develop the habit.
Accountability- Set up a structure to keep your new habit in front of you daily. It may be helpful to schedule it at the same time daily, add it at the top of your “to do" list or on your screensaver, or do it first thing in the morning. Tell the world what you are doing, find a friend to connect with weekly for support, or get a coach. You are welcome to pick up a complimentary Rewarding Daily Habits Chart for tracking purposes (which includes your motivation and support structure at a glance) at the author's website.
Action- Make a commitment to daily action. Don’t just try it, do it! The choices you make in self-talk are part of taking action. Make sure your self talk is coaching you towards success and not sabotaging you. When life gets in the way and you miss a day, persevere. Remember the end result you want and run towards it with enthusiasm. You can do this!
According to Jim Rohn, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habits is what keeps you going," Begin to change habits in order to experience extraordinary new results… one action at a time… Starting Now.
Copyright 2007 © Beth A. Tabak, All rights reserved.
Beth Tabak of www.StartingNowCoaching.com is 100% committed to small business coaching & personal life coaching. She is also a columnist and speaker. Beth coaches big thinkers to be unlimited, stand out in the crowd, and experience the vastness of their capabilities. Come see what all is available to you and say "hello".
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