Don’t Rely on Motivation to Achieve Your Goals
We live in a goal-oriented world. “You gotta have goals,“ “Dream big,” people say. But what’s a goal without having a process to achieve it? It’s basically a hope, wish, and a prayer!
James Clear, a self improvement guru says this, “We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.”
Whether you have a goal to learn a new hobby, like pottery or a musical instrument or to get your health in order, simply stating the goal won’t get you anywhere, believe me, I know from experience. The challenge for you and me is to think less about the goal and more about the process - which is the system of habits that will not only lead you to your goal but more importantly create lasting change from the inside out.
How is it that two people can have the same goal but one person achieves it and the other doesn’t?
Here’s an example: 2 people both want to stop feeling lousy and finally take charge of their health. Let’s call them Sue and Tom. They are both very busy working from home and taking care of the members of their household. They set the same goal to eat healthier and be more physically active. “The time is now,” they say. “Let’s make something of 2020!”
Both are initially motivated to make change in their lives, but only one (Sue) lays out the framework and process for their new habits that will lead them to their desired change.
Sue gets a journal and writes down 2 daily habits. She starts with:
Eating a healthier breakfast. Instead of eating a bagel, she prepares overnight oats with fruit and walnuts.
Physical activity: A 5 minute walk on her lunch break.
That’s all. Just 2 manageable habits to start her journey. It’s important to make it as easy as possible in the beginning to get started.
Once she completes each habit, she opens her journal and checks it off. In a few days when she sees the continuous checks of completion in her journal it motivates her to continue her streak! She is seeing evidence that she is becoming a healthy person.
On the other hand, Tom, will eat healthier and get physically active when his schedule opens up and he feels like it. And since he has no data to show that he is moving closer toward his goal with small habits like Sue, he is likely to give up when the going gets tough and try again when the motivation sparks. And this poor cycle will continue for him.
The problem is not with him though, it is with his system.
Developing new habits IS NOT easy.
The challenge with developing new habits is that there is delayed gratification and little immediate feedback. It takes a while to reap the benefits of habits. This is why having a journal or something similar to mark down daily accomplishments is crucial. It provides:
Immediate feedback (a reward for doing good).
Evidence that we are improving and changing from the inside out, not just for the sake of achieving the goal.
And by reviewing our journal and seeing the daily progress we are making, we are realizing a sense of gratification. Which is important to keep moving forward.
And each time Sue checks off “completed my 5 minute walk today” she is providing evidence for herself that she is a healthy person - because that’s what healthy people do. They are physically active. And slowly but surely, with each check of a healthy habit, she is convincing herself that she is a healthy person.
She is changing her identity - not simply striving for a temporary outcome.
I’m reminded by this quote inspired by Aristotle when I talk about habits, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Don’t merely focus on the goal to be achieved, which is a temporary outcome. Instead, focus on small manageable habits that will change your identity and make a lasting impact. Dream big, and make sure your plan gives you a chance to succeed.