Recently, on my Facebook Page I suggested 5 steps for positive self-change.
They are:
- Awareness: We must be aware that there is a need for change before we are in a position to begin doing so.
- Desire: The desire to change must be greater than the discomfort of leaving the status quo.
- A System: We need a process for predictably achieving our goal based on a logical and specific set of how-to principles.
- Action: Thought and intention are great, but without action being put into the mix, no change can possibly take place.
- Small Successes: Waiting for a huge victory before celebrating can be counter-productive at best, and debilitating at worst. So, be sure to take pleasure in building on your small successes along the way.
My friend Ali Rodriguez added another one, and that is surrounding yourself with encouraging friends.
So true. Having a support system of people who will root for you, encourage you and even hold you accountable adds significant value to those first five.
Additional thoughts? Let’s…crowd-source some good suggestions. 😉
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I love this post. I look at each step and realize how important each one is….true improvement does not really manifest if even one of these is left out. I am printing it out and posting it on my board as a reminder…thank you Bob!!!
Christie: WOW – thank YOU. What a great compliment to know you are printing it out for ongoing use. Greatly appreciated!
BJ Fogg, creator of the Persuasion Technology Lab at Stanford University, has a number of fantastic concepts and resources to support behavior change. http://www.behaviormodel.org/ and http://www.BJFogg.com When you look at the Behavior Model, Bob, you’ll see that all five of your steps are in there. Maybe the small successes are not explicitly described, but it’s in everything else he discusses.
Beth:Thank you for the heads up on Dr. Fogg and for your kind feedback. Great to know!
This post is a blueprint for intentionality. Fabulous!
Printed. Posted above my phone. Thank you, Bob!!
Luanne: Thank YOU!! 🙂
Dondi: What an amazing compliment. Thank you! WOW!
Once again your post is simple, powerful, brilliant. I love the idea of celebrating small successes. All too often we can get discouraged or overwhelmed by looking at the entirety of a huge objective. As they say – you eat an elephant one bite at a time…this suggests we savor every bite. 🙂
Including the ‘bonus’ step offered by Ali is certain to support positive change.
Thanks Bob.
Bill: Thank you. I greatly appreciate your kind and encouraging feedback and your very wise insights!
This is similar to Ali’s suggestion but change what you listen to and watch. Create an environment of positivity with what’s in the atmosphere.
Joseph: Thank you. An excellent suggestion as well!
1. Ignore negative thoughts
2. Ignore negative actions by others
Do not let anything stand in your way of success.
Larry: Great suggestions. Thank you for sharing with us!
Hi Bob,
Thanks for the thoughts and insight. Might I play with your five concepts?
Awareness – Internal and external sensing – refine your mindfulness
Desire – Needs and wants must be aligned to claer non-negotiable core values
A System – Strategic intent but not a straight jacket – leave room for the small bet projects in life
Action – Sometimes doing nothing is an action. Action is a force but not a direction
Small successes – Make sure you have a system which can tell when you have succeeded and can also inform you where to go next.
I would add one other thing – Relationships – they can be supportive or difficult but you can never learn less if you remain curious and non-judgemental!
Regards
Gary
Dr. Gary: Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us and for adding even further to the conversation!