LISTEN TO EPISODE
SCOTT DOW -
"There is a better way to start pursuing a goal and I'm going to share that secret...
For most people, getting started is the hardest part because you're trying new things, learning new things and developing new skills - all of which takes time and motivation.
So here's the secret: it's obvious, but it's really easy to overlook...
The best way to start is to stop.
Just stop doing the things that make the goal harder.
Take weight loss goals -
What do we do? We join a gym, start a diet and hire a trainer.
When a plan is based primarily on new behaviors, there are a lot of moving parts, challenges to overcome and changes to make and manage; but what if we just stopped the behaviors that made the goal more difficult? What if we stopped eating late at night, stopped eating sugar and stopped all of the snacking?
When you stop the counterproductive behaviors, you clear the way for more productive behaviors and you see results a whole lot faster, because the good behaviors aren't offset by the bad behaviors that are so easy to ignore. Now, I'm not saying the bad behaviors are easy to stop, but stopping enables immediate results, while new behaviors are going to take time.
- If you're trying to improve a process, stop the wasteful behaviors.
- If you're trying to improve teamwork, stop the selfish behaviors.
- And if you're trying to improve communication, stop sending mixed messages.
"Stopping" takes accountability. It doesn't take a new skill. Stopping is a choice. And you hold people, including yourself, accountable for their choices. So isolate the bad behavior and develop a better choice.
If you're hungry late at night, then drink a glass of water. Remember, every counterproductive behavior has a more productive alternative. And the alternative is immediate. It's a choice. It doesn't take training. It doesn't take a new skill. It takes accountability.
So don't overcomplicate your goals. Keep it simple. Stop doing what's holding you back and clear the way for the good behaviors."
OUTRO
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