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The Six Fundamentals of Habit Building — Part 2of 6

“There is a short shelf life on inspiration without action.” Liz Wiseman

In case you missed it, go check out part one of this series.

Now that you’ve planted the seed of your new identity and you’re clear on where you want to go and who you want to be, what’s the next step?

ACTION!

To make progress in life the first step is always decision and the next step is ALWAYS action.

Just the other day my son brought home an apple seed from school. His teacher wanted them to plant it and watch it sprout and grow. This was part of their ‘plant cycle’ segment.

My son was super excited. And though I was reluctant considering the potential size of an apple tree (I mean really, couldn’t she have picked a basil plant or something?), I figured we would be lucky to get it past the seedling stage.

So we planted the seed.

My son watered it for about three days before he gave up because he still couldn't see anything.

And since he stopped nurturing it, the seed never sprouted.

I tell you this little tale because that is what happens with our goals and dreams when we don’t take consistent action.

No matter how excited or motivated we feel in the moment of setting a new goal aka “planting the seed”, without action our new identity won’t last.

I’ll share again what my friend and mentor Benjamin Hardy, PhD says

“Identity is what you’re most committed to.”

Commitment = Time + Attention + Resources

The second fundamental of habit building is establishing one priority action that supports your new identity.

Why one and not many?

Honestly, you can do more than one but the goal at the beginning is to establish consistency and build confidence. So I always recommend starting with one.

Here are a three guidelines to help make your priority action effective:

1. Pick an action you can do right now — Start where you’re at. If you pick something you’re not sure how to do, that just creates more obstacles. For example; if your goal is to learn a new skill, then spend time each day taking the course online.
2. Pick an action you can do daily — If you make the action too long or difficult, you won’t stick with it. Take an honest look at your current obligations and decide what amount of time you can actually take. You can change it later but at the beginning just start where you’re at.
3. Pick an action you want to do — A lot of us carry around a false belief that for something to count it has to be hard or soul sucking. It’s time for you to put that lie in the garbage where it belongs. Well known habit guru BJ Fogg says this “ I change best by feeling good not by feeling bad.” Have you ever heard the expression “the best exercise routine is the one you actually do”? It does’t mean your action is easy, but it can be something you enjoy. For example; my wife lives a fit and healthy lifestyle but she really doesn’t like to run, so instead she does reformer pilates.

Okay, so you may still be wondering how to pick the action you’re going to take.

Here are a couple of questions you can ask to identify possible options:

1. People who are successful at this type of goal always do __________________

2. Actions that have helped me in the past with these type of goals are __________________

3. To accomplish the results I want, experts recommend ___________________

4. I would start on this goal today, but first I need to ____________________

That final question is vitally important because it reveals an obstacle you’ve been letting stop you from tacking action. Take whatever one-time step you need to eliminate that obstacle or choose a different action you can take that won’t require it.

Remember, your habit will never stick if it’s not tied to an identity you really want to create. Now that you’ve planted the seed, this one action should be pretty obvious.

In the next four posts, I’ll share everything else you need to know to turn this new action into a habit that sticks.

It’s time to start living your best life!

P.S. Like this idea? Check out our Magic Monday Newsletter for Habit Tips, Exciting Ideas and Reading Recommendations — Launch your week with 2 minutes of inspiration.