Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Power of Focus - Habits Determine Your Future

Strategy number one from our lessons on the power of focus is habits determine your future.

Anatomy of a Habit

A habit is repeated behavior. It is something that you do so often that it becomes easy. It is behavior that is repeated enough that it becomes "automatic" behavior.
This is a powerful concept to understand. Your actions are product of how you think as all actions flow from your mind and from thought. Habits are those automatic behaviors that have their roots in your thought processes somewhere. Understanding the habits are a result of repeated behavior is powerful for you because therein lies your greatest hope and victory for positive change: Reprogram those automatic habits!
You Habits will Determine Your Future

If your automtic behaviors create lack of finances through poor money management then your future will include a life of financial struggle. If your repetitive actions involve eating unhealthy food than your future will include struggling with staying in shape and staying healthy.

The truth is life doesn't just happen and success is not an accident. Your life and success is a result of your daily habits. Successful people have successful habits. That is why your success is waiting right there for you! There isn't a mystery to it. You don't have to admire the success of others with the result of disappointment in your lack of ability to create success. No. You can admire others to be inspired!

You can study the habits of successful role models and emulate them. Did you know that 90% of normal behavior is based on habit? Wow. That is quite amazing when you think about it. You can reprogram any aspect of your life at anytime if you choose to do so. No one drifts to success. It is the result of clear choice and success habits today that create the tomorrow you desire.

Your Habits Determine Your Quality of Life

You habits will give you predictable results. If you want to improve the quality of your life you must embrace habits that product quality results. Quality is not an act, but a habit. Negative habits result in negative consequences, successful habits in your life will produce a steady stream of positive rewards.

The foundation of success motivation is positive actions and habits otherwise you cannot generate positive momentum for change. You will increase your power, positivity and pursuit as your build your series of wins in life. Your series of wins are those little victories that lead to bigger victories and success. This is the result of positive habits and actions.

Changing Habits Takes Time

You will turn your negatives into positives by changing your habits now. Change takes an instant to occur and time to mature. Your change goes into effect the moment you choose to change. That very instant. But it will take some time to see your changes mature to where you can enjoy the fruit of your improvements. Your change will take time because developing success habits takes time.
How much time does it actually take to change a habit? The most common response is 21 days. Studies have shown that if you practice a new habit for an average of 21 days or longer in some cases, it actually becomes easier to do the new habit then it is NOT to do the new habit.

This is just a baseline. For any habit you want to change you must ask yourself how long you've owned that habit. Some habits will take longer to change depending on how long and how often they have been practiced. Give yourself reasonable time to adopt new belief systems and new success habits. If you have been dealing with low self esteem for 15 years, it may take you longer than 21 days to change that belief system (yes, belief systems are habits also). On the other hand you could break the bad habit of thinking poorly about yourself in an instant and create your brand new life overnight. There aren't any limits but you must be fair and objective about your rate of change.

The important thing above all will be to remain committed to establishing new habits that build a better future and not falling back into old habits that will only produce the same unhappiness and failure that you may be trying to move away from.
A powerful quote says:
If you keep on doing what you've always done, then you will keep on getting what you've always got.

This is awesome! By systematically changing one behavior at time you can dramatically improve your overall lifestyle! Once your new habit becomes well developed, it becomes your new normal behavior.
Identify Bad Habits and Replace Them

Okay, so if success is based on successful habits you be asking, "How do I identify bad habits?". Bad habits on those actions that cause you to be unproductive and hold you back from realizing your best life now. Examine yourself and ask others about bad habits you have. Only ask people you respect and admire and know you well. You need to hear from people that are for you and not against you.

Your habits and beliefs systems are a product of your environment. Birds of a feather, flock together as the saying goes. This is true. You will pick up and practice those habits and beliefs that are common to your environment. But when you decide to change there is no stopping you. Reach out for and study the successful habits of those who've attained the success you desire. Practice what they do and elevate yourself. Read inspirations stories, watch documentaries on success and the successful. Practice and repeat.

Develop the habit of changing your habits. Change will be you always. Adapt and implement habits that will continually reward with the life you desire. If a habit no longer yields success motivation and positive change, replace with a new habit. Just with thoughts, habits cannot be dropped. Habits are displaced through replacement.

Here is the three step successful habits formula taken from "The Power of Focus":
1. Clearly identify your bad or unproductive habits. You at your behavior for now and in the future to get a realistic and objective understanding of how a habit may be unproductive or bad for you. Some habits have a slow burn effect and the results aren't realized until years later. Smoking is a classic example. If you looking at a smoking habit one day at a time, it may not seem as damaging as it actually is. If you view this habit over a lifetime then you can begin to appreciate the the consequences for choosing to change this habit or not change this habit.

2. Define your new successful habit. Identify your new habits and describe in vivid detail the "benetifs" of acquiring this new habit. You will boost your success motivation when you can clear envision the rewards for successful change. Remember that to obtain the success you desire you must be will to do things today that will create your desire changed for tomorrow. The clearer a vision you have of your rewards and benefits for change, the more likely you are to take action.

3. Create a 3 Part Action Plan. Decide on 3 immediate actions that you will take to replace your old habit and establish your new successful habit. Start with one habit and take action. You must know exactly what actions you will take to create your new success. It could be reading a book, establishing an accountability partner, going to a support group, or joining a coaching club.

The bottom line is that nothing will change in your life until you do. To learn more about the how you obtain successful habits that will create a successful future for your life I recommend reading The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt.

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