Last week we spoke about aiming for a “successful” outcome as opposed to a “perfect” one.

I touched briefly on instigating new things or ways in our lives and how the perfectionist mindset can sometimes hold us back.

So what is the best way to instigate something new in your life?

My rule of thumb is to do things in small steps and focus on today– not the next twenty years.  Achieve something small toward your goal today.

It’s really helpful to remember you will stick to things that are easy to incorporate and are fun.  If it leads to a variety of stressors, then it is not going to be beneficial to you.  The moment you start to make a problem out of it, is the moment you are doomed for- if not failure, then a very unhappy state of mind.

1. 1. 1. DECIDE WHAT CAN GO
         Most people that find success in achieving their goal have realised that something has “gotta give”.  You need to decide what it is that you are willing to “GIVE UP”.
         The key is NOT COMPLETELY.   I have seen many campaigns around food that say;
      2. SWAP IT- DON’T STOP IT.
         That is great advice.   Instead of eating 2kg of choc chip bikkies (if you’re trying to be healthier), eat a smaller amount of choc chip bikkies and swap the remainder with a healthier option.  If you want to instigate, “learning a language” and you find that you will have to give up watching TV, which you watch 2 hours every night -then give up 1 of those hours and dedicate the other hour to achieving your new goal.
      3. INSTIGATE YOUR NEW GOAL IN SMALL STEPS.
         If your goal is to become fit- then you don’t need to instigate a regime befitting an Olympic athlete, start with one time a week.
      4. GO FOR CONVENIENCE
         Find the way that it is easy to incorporate or convenient.
         Again, if your goal is to get fit, then joining a ‘Gym’ that is 30 minutes away is not really going to work.
      5. ELLIMINATE EXCUSES
         One of the most important things to focus on is to eliminate all your excuses. So often I hear people speak of their desired outcome, and then go on to describe a whole lot of reasons why they cannot achieve it.  Write out all the excuse you tell yourself and others, and begin to eliminate each of them one by one, by finding a solution.  It’s a lot easier to solve or remove your barriers if you can stay very honest with yourself.  Some of these barriers may be “gateless gates” as we spoke of earlier; created by you for fear of not achieving the thing you want most.

Throughout life you need to be free in every moment of life to decide.  Free to make the choice to swap the doughnut for sushi, or the movie for cleaning or the other way around.  You need to be able to make the decision consciously and not have the momentum of your mind repeat your behaviours unconsciously.  That is why this journey began with simple exercises to break your habitual mode of thinking.

So when you are faced with the decision to eat the doughnut or the sushi, the decision is made by “YOU” and not by the momentum of your mind that has temporarily taken you as its hostage.

Photography by MDH