Is how I do anything how I do everything?

Yes and no…

We can't always control the situations we are put in, but we always have the autonomy to control how we react to those situations.

From moment to moment, you can choose to have a good attitude, you can choose to be thorough, and you can choose to be attentive.

But just because we theoretically could act differently in every situation doesn't mean that we can easily do so in practice.

That is because the choices that you make at home do not occur independently of choices made at work and vice versa.

The Momentum:

Each action creates an energy and momentum in the direction of that action.

For example:

• Being attentive and thorough at work may result in success on a project, which draws in positive feedback from your boss and co-workers.

These pieces of evidence (positive feedback & success) reinforce your identity as a competent and valuable member at your workplace.

As you gather more evidence, your identification with that particular behavior strengthens.

As your identification with that particular behavior strengthens it becomes easier to repeat those actions.

It becomes 'who you are'.

Slowly but surely, as this momentum gains in one direction, what was once only how you did somethings has now become how you do everything.

This applies to undesirable behaviors in the same way.

The Challenge with Change:

As we gather social evidence that reinforces our identify with certain behaviors and the momentum from that collection continues to mount, it becomes harder to change.

We quite literally become the person who reliably acts a certain way regardless of the situation.

• Ex: We all know someone who is late everywhere they go

BUT the momentum is not permanent, and it can be stopped or redirected to something more positive.

Making Change:

How do we change who we are or the things that we do?

By changing the only thing that we have influence over, our actions and attitudes.

Here are my tried and true methods for picking up new habits and approaching new goals:

1. It starts in the subconscious:

   • Your subconscious is a super computer that makes note of everything that you hear and see.

   • It quietly influences your desires, fears, and behaviors.

   • Feed your subconscious information that aligns with your desired behavior. Books, podcasts, short form video. All of it programs your subconscious, so curate it with material that will help you, not hurt you.

2. Focus on actions rather then results:

   • The only thing that you can control is your actions.

   • You CANNOT lose 20lbs. But you CAN exercise 4 times a week. And you CAN avoid fast food.

   • Focus entirely on action and results will follow.

3. Start as small as possible:

   • Every action builds momentum.

   • As you see success with small action, you will build the confidence and the competency required to increase the intensity.

   • Start smaller then you think you can handle. Start so small that it is temporarily embarrassing. Don't let the ego convince you otherwise.

4. Live immediately - do not defer to the future:

   • There is no future in which the circumstances will be more favorable towards new action.

   • There is no point in the future in which you will be able to change your behavior or your mental processes, because you cannot exist in the future.

   • You can only learn today. You can only workout today. You can only eat right today.

5. Processes & Schedules:

   • You are an animal that is subject to emotions and is influenced by the happenings of the day.

   • To combat this, set a schedule and follow a plan that can be easily repeated every day. (I workout for 20 minutes from 7am - 7:20am)

   • If I have to choose a new time to workout every day then some days I will inevitably choose, or be pressured, not to workout.

I hope to expand on these topics more in the future.

Good luck until then, friend.