“The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”
– Charles Duhigg
Whether you realize it or not, your life is made of a collection of habits.
Just as cells are the building blocks of all living things, habits are the building blocks that define what your day-to-day life actually looks like.
According to author Charles Duhugg, “a habit is a behavior that starts as a choice and then becomes a nearly unconscious pattern.” In other words, they are the things you do without even really thinking about it.
We all have habits…lots of them in fact.
We have eating habits and personal hygiene habits that define our “go-to” breakfast foods and when we brush our teeth. We have health habits, work habits, relaxation habits, and…well, the list could truly be endless.
I think you’re probably getting the picture.
Habits hold an immense amount of power. Some habits are really GOOD. These habits help move us closer to our goals and the person we truly would like to be.
Other habits are not so helpful. In fact, one of the most common reasons someone might struggle to make progress on an important goal is because other bad habits are getting in the way of their success.
Talk about the ultimate self-sabotage!
Let me give you an example.
I like to wake up early…much earlier than I actually have to be up. This allows me to slowly ease into my day, drink some coffee, read a book, and wake up at my own pace before the hustle and bustle of the day really begins. I’ve learned that this quiet morning routine helps me to feel in control of my day and I’m able to tackle whatever the day has in store with focus and efficiency.
On the flip side, when I don’t wake up early, I start my day in a rush, already feeling “behind” before the day has truly begun. These days are consistently less productive for me.
See what I mean? One small habit can have a HUGE impact.
Alright, let’s bring this full circle! WHY are we talking about habits?
Because habits are essential for growth and change. As you consider your life and the transformation you’d like to see, it’s essential to take a hard look at the habits you currently have (or don’t have) and whether or not they are truly serving you.
Here are a few questions for your reflection:
- What are the habits I need to achieve this growth? What do I need to START doing?
- What are the habits that are currently standing in the way of my transformation? What do I need to STOP doing?
- What habits or routines do we have in place that are no longer serving our team or organization?
Through this reflection process, you’ll likely identify at least one new habit to work on. That’s great! HOWEVER, let me give you this one piece of advice as you get started:
Be patient with yourself.
Forming new and lasting habits takes time. Yes, it typically takes MORE than twenty-one days to form a habit. I know, that’s not what you’ve heard…but it’s the honest truth.
Reaching new habit goals will also require that we stretch beyond our current comfort zones to learn, do and experience new things. How can you learn new habits if you are not trying new things? There are multitudes of tools and resources available to help you along the way, but you can get a free copy of our Learn-Do-Experience Tool to help you get started. Be open to recognizing and reigniting forgotten successes and strengths. It’s okay if it takes a while! Just keep working at it.
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
