Yet, it is very hard to bring about significant change without changes in behaviour.
1. Powerful countervailing forces appear when we attempt to engineer positive change. We discover our competing commitments pull us in opposite directions causing us to spend a great deal of energy attempting to satisfy each: "I'm going to lose 10kilos but I really love to eat and drink." or “I am going to start a business of my own but I really like the security of the fortnightly salary deposit I get from my job today.”
2. Our overbooked lives and strong immunity to change try to keep us from relearning deeply ingrained habits. Today, around 60% of people in Australia say there is not enough time in the day to get things done. A poor night's sleep and tight work deadlines adversely affect our work performance. We turn on the TV to pass the time rather than moving forward to accomplish our good intentions.
4. We don't give our brain enough time and energy to re-learn deeply ingrained habits by developing and following a goal-achieving plan through personal determination, practice, repetition and the support of others.
5. Some feel they need a change but have a difficult time articulating/envisioning what that change looks like and how to plan to make it real. Developing the ability to respond to unpredictable change is very hard. Most are afraid to develop approaches to move from the more comfortable status quo. Learning to take risks by starting with small projects (where the impact of failure is not excessive) is a good approach to overcome this lack of initiative.
Now that you know where you want to be, the next step is to look in the mirror to discover where you really are today - how habits are making you act, how others view you and what comprises your deep assumptions and beliefs. Some of this reflection will represent gaps between where you are and where you want to be.
The realisation of the gap prepares you for developing an agenda or plan of action needed for the detailed guidance on what new rituals to try each day to make the new habit stick while you build your strengths and move closer to your ideal self.
When we talk to others, in a safe environment, about the impending change, we reach clarity on what we must do to keep moving forward. Building our capability to accept and effectively handle change can release energy spent in worry and transform it into focused action.