By: Martin Grunburg
Nobody achieves their goals without first channeling the force of habit. Period.
Some people — MOST PEOPLE — still aren’t fully aware of these two precepts when it comes to goal achievement:
1) Everything is energy: You are energy and it will take energy to attain your goal. By applying and channeling the force of habit (the most efficient form of behavior energy), you attain your goals more quickly and easily.
2) The best way to develop a habit is following the P.A.R.R. methodology, Plan, Act, Record and Reassess. This is superior to Cue, Routine, Reward (which doesn’t include tracking, reassessment or habitstrength). P.A.R.R. requires behavior tracking. Tracking core, related behaviors (habits) that are aligned with your goals will help you to achieve your goals more quickly and easily.
So for “fun,” I’ve listed five bulletproof reasons following The Habit Factor® method for goal-achievement is the most efficient and effective process to help you achieve your goals!
#1) Energy
Energy loves (and has a predisposition toward) pattern and rhythm. Have you noticed that you brush your teeth the same way every day? You towel off the same way each day. You drive home via the same route, put your keys in the same place, etc. The examples are endless. Everything in nature is based upon ENERGY. It’s worth restating: Since you are energy and your goal is going to require energy, the most efficient way to achieve your goals is for you to align your daily behavior energies (habits) to be supportive of your goals.
It’s really that simple.
Doing this creates remarkable coherence (congruity and consistency) as well as effectiveness (doing the right things) and efficiency (doing the right things right). You are getting the same and/or better results with less energy output!
Action: Identify your single-most important goal. List 50 reasons it’s a MUST goal (versus a “should” or “someday” goal), and then identify the 3-5 habits you are COMMITTED to developing (tracking) for the next year or more. However long it takes, right?
#2) The Subconscious
“Experts” in goal-achievement theory, as well as top coaches in various disciplines, will tell you that your subconscious is anywhere from 10 to 100x more powerful/influential than your conscious mind when it comes to achieving your goals.
So, my friend, I ask you, “Where do your habits reside?”
Correct! In your subconscious! In fact, that is just one of the definitions of habit — an unconscious or mostly unconscious (w/ little awareness) behavior or thought. For this reason alone it makes sense to focus your energies on HABIT development.
Action: Identify one thought affirmation (related to your goal) that you are willing to repeat; reaffirm a minimum of five times daily and TRACK!
#3) CHARACTER
BE. DO. HAVE: The late, great Zig Ziglar used to shout from the stage, “You must BE before you can DO and DO before you can HAVE.”
When it comes to BEing, NOTHING is more important than HABIT. Why? Well, a core definition of HABIT — in fact, its Latin root — is “Condition” and/or “Character.”
This would suggest that your present condition and character (at this very moment) is the sum total of all your thoughts and all your behavior HABITS throughout your life. Is your character not the sum total of your thought and behavior habits?
You may have heard another great Zig Ziglar quote. “What you get from achieving your goals is not as important as what you BEcome by achieving your goals.” And, the only way you can BEcome anything is via habit.
Action: List three traits of your three most successful friends. Ask if there are any commonalities. Select one of these traits/habits to track for the next four weeks!
#4) FOCUS!
Focusing on habits instead of a one-off, to-do list creates powerful focus and consistency. So, BURN YOUR TO-DO LIST!
“Burning your To-Do List” is just a fun little idiom. I want to underscore the significance of putting attention and focus on the daily tracking of core, related behaviors (HABITS) that will drive your goal’s achievement, before you begin to think about your daily to-do list.
The typical person follows a typical process and is left with a to-do list. That is, they write a list of to-do items for the day. However, scattered thoughts and actions will likely produce scattered results.
For instance, a typical to-do list might look like this: buy milk, feed fish, call Grandma, pick up the dry cleaning, etc. What do any of these have to do with your most important long-term goal?
By narrowing your focus to just the core, related behaviors (habits that are aligned with your goal), making them a priority and putting them TOP OF MIND each morning — and then TRACKING THEM — you are far more EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT. (Apologies for the caps!; )
So, sure, keep your to-do list, but realize it is secondary to the list of habits you are tracking. By separating the two and focusing first on habits, you know for sure what is a must-do to support your long-term goals!
Action: Before you work from a To-Do list, ensure you are first working from and tracking a short list of habits. Yes, there is a free app for that ; )
#5) HABIT IS PRINCIPLE BASED
Habit is principle based, meaning it is a force of nature (it is timeless). Habit has been a factor in human character and achievement since the dawn of time, and always will be. Darwin once said, “It is notorious how powerful is the force of habit.” Confucius said, “All men’s natures are alike — it’s their habits that carry them far apart.” Benjamin Franklin (a famous and prolific habit tracker): “Your net worth to the world is what remains after you subtract your bad habits from your good ones.”
By focusing on HABIT vs. tactics and/or strategies, YOUR energies are channeled via the timeless force of HABIT! Actions produce results and, of course, consistent actions (habits) produce consistently powerful results.
Action: Look into the future and ask what ideally traits (character) and goals would you like to achieve. Then, identify 3-5 habits that will help get you there and begin tracking them right away following the P.A.R.R. methodology (video).
Final Thoughts
I was asked the other day if I’ve ever been contacted (via email or otherwise) by someone who’s followed P.A.R.R. and/or The Habit Factor® Method and has not achieved their goal or been impressed with their results. “I have not,” I confessed. The reason, I presume, is because P.A.R.R. and The Habit Factor® Method always work when you do. It may not work on your timeline, but often that is related to other forces, PRESSURE being one of them. ; )
Until next week,
~mg
(This post has been updated 5/18/2018)