What Does it Take to Really Change?
How many times has the dentist said you need to start flossing your teeth everyday?
Maybe you do floss everyday (and I salute you), but it’s small habits like these many of us have problems starting. So then what happens when we need to make even bigger changes to our lives?
I can tell you that I only remember to floss when there is something really annoying stuck in my shiny grill (I don’t really have a grill, just normal teeth). So many of us only realize we need to make big changes when something really annoying gets stuck in our lives – like a health problem, a bad habit, or a poor mindset that got us in trouble.
The Good News
There is a five-step plan to get you into a new habit or mindset, and it’s easy as pie if you stick to it. Sometimes telling yourself that you will “just remember next time” isn’t enough. The scientific verdict says it will take 21 days to start a new habit, so…
Go on the 5-21 Plan
I’m not talking about May 21st. This is the easy as pie five-step plan for 21 days to start a new way of life.
- Consciously make a commitment and write this commitment down on a sticky note or somewhere you will see it every day for at least 21 days. You can even hang a picture or use anything that helps you consciously realize your goal.
- Look at this commitment everyday and verbally repeat it to yourself when you see it.
- No excuses! Stick to it like broccoli in your two front teeth.
- 21 days later… now you are flossin’… or exercising, or owning the mindset of a millionaire, a champion, or anything you committed to.
- Don’t quit! It’s way to easy to stop your new habit for a few days and revert to an old way of life. Turn your 21 days into the rest of your life.
And here is the secret sixth step you never knew was coming…
Hire an expert psychologist to train you like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Not really, but watch what happens with this simple Altoid reward system from a clip of this popular TV show.
