Create Sustainable Momentum
How many unfinished jobs do you have right now?
How many times have you joined the gym but not lasted more than 3months?
Or what about when you make a big commitment to yourself, maybe following a training programme, then 5 days later you slip back into your old ways. Each time you start with a clear goal in mind and a ton of gusto only to lose motivation half way through and then you get frustrated with yourself. You lose confidence in your own ability and the cycle continues.
If you relate to any of these scenarios then you are not alone. Many people live their lives making commitments to themselves, then fall short. However, a few appear to create dynamic results all of the time. So what is the secret?
Massive Momentum isn’t always the key to long-term success. Yes it’s important to start the wheel turning, but once you’re rolling, creating Sustainable Momentum in your life is more crucial, otherwise you’re in danger of either burning out from a stress overload or losing motivation.
There is no magic pill you can take to make achieving your goals easier. If you want to lose a stone in weight you have 2 choices;
A: Chop your right leg off
B: Commit to losing a couple of pounds a week over a couple of months
both are achievable, yet only one option is truly sustainable!
Here are 2 ways you can create sustainable momentum in your life:
1. Stimulus
Your brain, or more precisely your unconscious mind is like a massive sponge soaking up all the stimulus you expose it to. So beware if you spend all day in front of Jeremy Kyle or Corrie; you maybe missing the biggest opportunity to unlock your hidden potential.
Surround yourself with interesting people, go to interesting places, do things that make you stop and think. Watch what you watch on the box, read something different and most import…..go on a training course! Develop daily habits that ‘programme in’ your goals and aspirations. Visualising your goals daily is a great way to start the day.
2. Environment
Have you ever wondered why some children who mis-behave for their parents, morph into angelic beings the minute they arrive at Grandma’s! The answer….different environments.
Change the environment and your behaviour will adapt to the boundries of that environment. Therefore, if you want to create an environment that is set-up for achieving your goals, plant reminders and triggers everywhere.
Cover your fridge in post-its or better still photographs of your goals. Change the image on your desktop, the welcome note on your phone and stick a picture to the steering wheel of your car.
If you want to embed a new behaviour, place an elastic band on your wrist as a reminder, or make a donation to the foundation to receive a sexy Aurora wrist band, with the aim of keeping it on the same wrist for a minimum of 30 days. Every time you catch yourself out (which you will to begin with) change the elastic band to the other wrist. After 30 days you will find that you barely need to swap wrists as creating a sustainable change for around 30 days creates a new habit….which is sustainable long-term.
Small steps taken over the long term can create massive differences. If you adjust your journey on a compass as little as one degree, it’s not long before the landscape becomes very very different.
Next time you make a commitment to yourself, focus on your outcome and then commit to taking daily steps towards your goal, no matter how small. Before you know it, those pounds will be falling off, the garage will be sorted, the garden weed free and those changes in behaviour…..well that’s just who you are, you no longer need to think about it.
