The habits you see now will only become more ingrained over time

I love that sentence. I read it once in a magazine, when someone had written in complaining about their partners annoying habits.

If you think your partner’s habits are slightly annoying now, imagine what they will be like in another 10 years!

If you wanted to improve in any part of your life I would suggest a close study of your habits would be a very good starting point.

Are there some opportunities in there to make some small shifts which could give you some very large returns?

As you know it is not easy to change your own habits. Changing other peoples is even harder.

When I have issues with other people I always think it’s a better option for me to change how I react to them than worry about trying to change them. Their patterns, their habits, their way of thinking will be deeply ingrained.

Change is very complicated. 

There is only one time in your life that you won’t see change. That’s when you use a vending machine.

Most of the high performers I'm lucky to work with have developed excellent routines that are habit based.

They associate rewards with certain actions, and focus on consistently delivering those actions. If you could find the right patterns and habits that work for you, your future could really start to take the shape you want it to.

We all have our little habits. For some people it's a coffee at a certain time of the day. For others it's mowing the lawn in the nude (not doing it yet, you should give it a go, its liberating).  For Facebook addicts, it's another status update and then losing half an hour of your day reading about how interesting everyone else’s life appears to be in comparison to yours.

When you get the urge to look at another $49 deal to the Gold Coast that has just popped into your inbox, could you instead replace that urge by pressing the Del button on your keyboard. It's located on my PC (Lenovo T61) just above the backspace key on the top right hand side. Oh, how I love that key. You might be thinking of doing it now. 

I often wonder why I don't work out more often.  Go for another run, swim or walk.  I know I’ve never regretted an exercise session.

Never heard myself say, “Gee, I’m really disappointed I went for that run today!” Well, there was one experience when I went on a run when I was in my early 20’s living in Perth that I do regret. I can’t really get in to that now.

I’m sure it all comes down to habits. What are the triggers that get me to do the things that I know I should be doing? More importantly what are the triggers that distract me from high value activities? If I could remove or modify the triggers that set me on the path of distraction I’d be halfway there.

I ran a session on High Performing Teams a few weeks ago with a woman who exercises 5 times per week. Her best tip was - “Get your running shoes and outfit on as soon as you can”.

I once heard of an early morning jogger who used to go to bed in his running kit, and actually slept in his running shoes. I don’t know what his wife thought of that but it helped him to wake up and go.

If you would like to refine your habits this new book is worth a look. “The power of habit” by New York Times investigative reporter, Charles Duhigg. Why we do what we do in life and business. Reading the book won't get you to change any habits, just like joining the gym won’t make you fitter.

The book will show you how habits work and how you can, if you have the desire develop fresh keystone habits that might just give you the opportunity to reach the fulfilment you are seeking in your career.

This month I'm offering one of you the chance to win a copy of the book.

All you need to do to win is email me in 50 words or less your best tip for establishing and then maintaining a new habit. I'd be happy to publish your best tips in the next edition of Boost your NRG.

Posted in Leadership; Tagged Leadership; Posted 3 May 2012 by Steve Herzberg