The individual who wants to reach the top in
business must appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to
break those habits that can break him - and hasten to adopt those practices
that will become the habits that will help him the success he desires - J.Paul
Getty(One of the richest man in the world during 1950s)
All successful leaders understood habits deliver
results!
Today psychology & neuro science research
clearly points out that 90% of our behaviours are habitual. Nearly 90%, right from
the time we get up from bed in the morning until the time we retire back to
bed, there are hundreds of things we do the same way every day.
Good news is that habits help free up the mind
while your body is automatic. So you don't have to spend that extra energy in
paying complete attention. Bad news is that you become locked into an
unconscious behavioural pattern which can inhibit your growth and success.
But we as human beings have the power of choice
& will to exercise any habit.
One thing I have learned in my life is that
creating new habits is like the power of compound habit interest. It is like
the power of investing in SIP Mutual fund for 10-20 years, which accumulates
continuously and gives you a huge return on investment.
It
sounds really obvious when you say it, but if you do something small
repeatedly, the benefits accrue greatly over time. It’s obvious, but not
everyone puts it into practice.
All
of us know this and you may also know the importance of getting up early, doing
yoga/meditation, stretching/walking, healthy eating, decluttering the
desk/house, writing, saving money etc etc.
But,
"Knowing
is not Doing,
Doing
is Knowing."
Let
me share with you a simple step by step plan to create a successful habit.
Come
up with a plan - Take 1 week to analyze your
behaviors, pick a trigger, plan out how you’ll overcome your
obstacles, pick the time of day you’ll implement habit, plan who your
support network will be, and decide what your motivations are.
Pick
only ONE small, positive habit —
just 5 minutes to start with. You will expand it later, but start as
small as possible. This is extremely important. If you can do the
first week without missing a day, you can increase it to 10 minutes,
then 15 minutes the third week, etc.
Mentally Rehearse your positive habit - Mind cannot be controlled.
It has to be tricked. You have to mentally rehearse the new habit once you
get up in the morning. If possible, more the mental rehearsal, more is the
success.
Do
the habit immediately after the next 4-6 weeks- Build in reminders. Try never to
skip it. The more consistent you are, the stronger the habit.
Build
in positive feedback - Focus on enjoyment, make it a game, create competition, do it with a
partner or group if possible.
Report
daily to a social group (blog,
Twitter, Facebook, email, or friends at work), use them for support
when things get difficult. When you feel like not doing the habit,
have one or more people you can call on for help.
Test,
Adjust, Iterate Immediately - When you start a habit change, you are testing an approach, and it is
very possible it will fail … this is good information, and you should
use it to adjust your approach, and retry as soon as possible.
A few warnings:
Don’t
worry about doing a lot of it.
As you repeat this new habit, don’t worry about growing it. That’s a good way
to fail. Most people fail because they try to do too much too quickly.
Don’t
worry about missing a day or two.
This is another reason people fail — they miss a day or two, then just give up.
If you miss a day or two or three, just start again. It doesn't have to be a
big deal.
Don’t
do a bunch at a time. Do one per week at the most. One
per month is even better.
Habits deliver Success, Happiness, Health & Wealth! Good luck on your new empowering habits in your life!
