New Year, New Me….No Thanks!
New Year, New Me….No Thanks!
It was a couple of years ago when an old work colleague posted on her Facebook timeline, “New Year, New Me”. Within 2 weeks, all those best laid intentions to run 3 times a week and eat well had evaporated and she had reverted back to the status quo.
Has this ever happened to you when trying to make changes in your life?
So, what’s the alternative?
✅ Don’t say “NEW YEAR, NEW ME”
It’s a false promise to yourself. Behavioural change takes consistent effort. Take for example, ruminating thoughts. You build up this way of thinking not just over days or weeks but years, decades even! By doing something differently once, it may help, but it won’t change that behaviour long term, that comes from consistently applying the tool each and every time over 6-12 months until the new behaviour is deeply integrated.
Instead, think 1% better every day.
Making small 1% marginal gains every day accumulate over time into the positive outcomes you are looking for. If you want to be able to run 5k 3 times a week we don’t start by running 5k. It starts with showing up consistently three times a week. Over time the walk-run ratio will naturally evolve.
The key is to show up in the first place.
✅ Finding Upfront Motivation
In order to show up though we need some form of upfront motivation. One of my biggest vices was the afternoon diet coke and chocolate break. A sugar hit to fuel the afternoon slump.
Rather than focussing on “away from” motivation. Which are all the negatives, such as “I don’t want to be fat”, instead I focused on 100 reasons why. If you can’t think of 100 to start with, write down at least 10 positive reasons why you want to change that behaviour.
Negative “away from” motivations cause inconsistency in your results.
✅ Get Accountability
Back in the day when I could actually go swimming in the swimming pool, I used to meet a friend there in the mornings. If I didn’t show up, she would message me. This is great accountability.
Accountability comes in different forms.
- Setting reminders for yourself e.g. blocking out your calendar, phone alarms etc.
- Asking a family member, partner, friend, colleague to hold you accountable. For example, you text them when you have completed your “run” (inset the new habit you want to form here). If you don’t text they will phone or text you to ask why.
- Find a coach. This takes accountability to a whole new level. You’ll set new intentions for yourself, break them down into the very first action steps to get you there, get tools to help support the integration of these actions. One of the key components to coaching is uncovering limiting beliefs that prevent us taking these actions and using techniques to move beyond these.
That way you can continuously stay in positive forwards momentum.
Quick Audit
Score out of 10 each of these areas of your life. Write a little about why you gave it that score. This is the formation of your 1% incremental to do list.
Health /10
Relationships /10
Career /10
Personal Development /10
Wealth /10
Share your scores in Breakthrough Unleashed and let me know your area of focus.
PS share your audit scores in Breakthrough Unleashed. Set your commitment to your next actions and I’ll help hold you accountable in the group.