Motivation Makeover
Micro Moves, Mega Results: How Small Steps Help Your Future-Self Win Big Time. Taken From The Book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear
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“Whether one moves slowly or with speed, the one who is a seeker will be a finder” (Rumi)
Welcome to the final edition of my Series of “Atomic Habits”, powered by Premium Quarterly. I hope you liked the ride so far and have gotten some new insights, inspirations or even have successfully managed to change or implement a habit?
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“The greatest threat to success is not failure but bordeom” (James Clear)
STAYING MOTIVATED WITHOUT GETTING BORED
The Goldilocks Rule: the sweet spot of 50% success and 50% failure
We experience peak motivation when we are working on the tasks right on the edge of our current abilities. The core idea of the goldilocks rule is that this is crucial for us, in order to stay motivated. We need to find a way to keep our routines attractive and satisfying: just enough winning to experience satisfaction and just enough wanting, to experience desire.
You can find ways to diversify your habits or put some novelty into them, but at some point, you will need to fall in love with boredom. Otherwise, progress is likely to disappear. No habit will stay interesting forever.
An olympic coach once said: the difference between the best athletes and everyone else is that the best athletes “can handle the boredom of training every day, doing the same lifts over and over again”.
“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.”
(Andy Warhol)
THE IMPORTANCE OF SYSTEMS FOR REFLECTION AND REVIEW
Research shows that there is usually a slight decline in performance over time. Therefore, it is important to establish systems of reflection and review. It makes you more aware of your long-term improvements as well as your mistakes or areas where more growth/improvement is needed. It lets you fine-tune your habits by having the opportunity to make course corrections when and where necessary, instead of falling into mindless repetition. Good enough on autopilot is the same as not improving anymore.
No matter if you do it on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Reflection helps you find out if you, and the person you wish to be, are in accordance with each other.
To check upon your progress, you may ask questions like:
“What went well since I made my last adjustments?”
“What didn’t go so well?”
“What did I learn?”
“What can I do different to achieve different results?” (more work on this can be done on the online course “Self-Authoring” by Professor Jordan B. Peterson)
“If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system” (James Clear)
DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF BY YOUR IDENTITY
Don’t limit your self-development by clinging too tight to one kind of identity, as it will be harder for you to grow beyond it. Try to avoid making one single aspect of your identity an overwhelming part of who you are.
For example:
instead of thinking of yourself as “I am a CEO”, think of yourself as “the type of person who builds and creates things”.
instead of thinking of yourself as “I am an athlete”, think of yourself as “the type of person who is mentally tough and loves physical challenge”.
instead of thinking of yourself as“I am a mother”, think of yourself as “the type of person who holds things together, overcomes challenges with ease and is an expert in mastering chaos”
Try building your identity as flexible as possible, so it works with and for you in changing circumstances, rather than against you.
Reflection and self-awareness are the most significant factors for mastering habits, fine-tuning them and - when one is implemented successfully - to have the space for building the next one. Your way forward!
„Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” (C. G. Jung)
Taken from the book:
“The secret to getting results that last is to never stop making improvements. It’s remarkable what you can build if you just don’t stop. It’s remarkable the business you can build if you don’t stop working. It’s remarkable the body you can build if you don’t stop training. It’s remarkable the knowledge you can build if you don’t stop learning. It’s remarkable the fortune you can build if you don’t stop saving. It’s remarkable the friendships you can build if you don’t stop caring. Small habits don’t add up. They compound. That’s the power of atomic habits. Tiny changes. Remarkable results”.
Change your motivation, change your Life!
Yours, Anna
a little thought inspiration for today
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who'll decide where to go.”
by Dr. Seuss