Monday 28 January 2013

Day 29: Make it a habit

Our tip for today is:


Tip 29:  Make it a habit


If you have been pursuing your goal for the last month you have already done a great deal to enhance your chances of success.  By taking 'little and often' action for the last four weeks you will already have started to make your new behaviours part of your daily routine. 

On Day 22, we introduced the four stages of learning.  Making something a habit is part of the last stage, 'Unconscious Competence'.  This means it feels part of your routine.  By now it may even be feeling comfortable or 'natural' to you.  You probably don't have to concentrate too hard to perform your new task, and may even be able to do something else at the same time (Like, for example, driving while also listening to the radio, rather than worrying about what gear you are in).

Habit-forming comes from consistently and frequently performing a behaviour.  Paying attention to the results you achieve will help you repeat your performance.

One other thing.  If your goal is connected to your sense of identity, your character or changing how people perceive you, remember what Aristotle said:

'We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.'


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