Tag Full Potential

How to Break Free of Bad Habits

Steve Keating Leave a comment

First off, I want to make sure you read the title of this post correctly. It says breaking free of BAD habits. I think sometimes we are programmed to believe that all habits are bad. That is absolutely not the case.

Sometimes we can’t agree on what’s a good habit or a bad habit. For instance, many people would tell me that my Diet Coke habit is bad. I strongly disagree. But there are many good habits that we can all agree on. Eating healthy. Living within our means. Being kind to others. Being kind to ourselves. Those are examples of good habits.

But we are talking about bad habits in this post. Habits that are limiting our ability to live our best life possible and reach our full potential. It seems logical to me that since the habits are bad for us, we should have the motivation and discipline to “break free” of them rather easily.

But nothing about eliminating bad habits from our lives is easy.

Breaking bad habits can be incredibly challenging. Still, with the right mindset and strategies, it is entirely possible. Here are some ideas to help you break bad habits.

1. Identify the Habit and What Drives It

• Self-awareness: Recognize the habit you want to break and understand why you do it.

• Drivers: Identify the drivers of the habit. This could be certain times of the day, emotional states, environments, or specific people.

2. Understand the Cue-Behavior-Reward Loop

• Cue: The trigger that initiates the habit. (For instance, seeing a donut.)

• Behavior: The action you take in response to the cue. (For instance, eating the donut.)

• Reward: The benefit you get from the behavior, reinforcing the habit. (The donut tastes good)

• Understanding this loop helps in identifying what needs to change. (This is bad example; I have no intention of ever giving up donuts)

3. Set Clear and Realistic Goals

• Specific: Be clear about which habit you want to break.

• Measurable: Set criteria for measuring progress.

• Achievable: Ensure the goal is realistic.

• Relevant: Make sure it aligns with your overall objectives.

• Time-bound: Set a deadline for achieving the goal.

4. Develop a Replacement Habit

• Positive Replacement: Replace the bad habit with a healthier or more productive one.

• Small Changes: Start with small, manageable changes rather than attempting to overhaul your behavior all at once. Quitting something “cold turkey” rarely works. Remember, breaking free from a bad habit isn’t a race. Slow and steady most often makes the break permanent.

5. Change Your Environment

• Remove Triggers: Alter your surroundings to minimize exposure to triggers.

• Supportive Environment: Surround yourself with people and environments that support your goal. If your goal is to quit smoking, then hanging out in smoking lounges is a bad plan.

6. Use Positive Reinforcement

• Rewards: Reward yourself for making progress and sticking to your new habit.

• Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate small victories along the way. All progress is progress; keep that in mind and enjoy even the little successes along the way.

7. Stay Accountable

• Share Your Goals: Tell friends, family, or a support group about your goal.

• Track Progress: Keep a journal or use apps to track your progress.

8. Be Patient and Persistent

• Accept Setbacks: Understand that setbacks are normal. Don’t get discouraged by occasional failures.

• Consistency: Keep working towards your goal consistently, even if progress is slow.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a few bad habits. We are, after all, human. But the more we can replace bad habits with good ones, the better off we will be. It is just a question of determination, motivation, and discipline. If you really want to live your best life possible, you need to realize the biggest obstacle to overcome is likely yourself and your bad habits.

That’s actually great news because it means breaking free is completely within your control. So, if you want your best life, all you need to do is go get it.

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Pushing Yourself to Success

Steve Keating Leave a comment

I’ve known a whole lot of very smart people with a ton of potential. All they needed was a break or two and someone to push them forward towards success. Unfortunately neither of those “needs” were ever fulfilled. So, much of their smarts, talents and abilities where left unused. 

They have done okay in life, outside observers might even say they have done better than just okay. But the people themselves often lament the fact that their “big break” never happened. They didn’t have that person in their lives they needed to really push them to use those smarts, talents and abilities. I feel bad for them. 

I feel bad because in fact they did have that person in their lives. In fact, they saw that person everyday. Every time they looked in the mirror that person stared back at them. That’s also the person who could have given them their big break if only they had made the effort. 

Full success was always there for the taking, they only had to stop waiting and start doing. 
Pushing yourself to success involves a combination of attitude, strategies, and consistent effort. Two of those you have complete and total control over. Once you realize that you’ll be a hard person to stop.

When you decide to control your attitude and give your best effort at every opportunity you can use these steps to push yourself to your full potential. 

  • Set Clear Goals: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve provides direction and motivation.
  • Break Down Tasks: Divide your goals into smaller, manageable tasks. This prevents overwhelm and allows you to make steady progress.
  • Visualize Success: Create a mental image of your desired outcome. Visualization helps you build a positive mindset and fosters determination. Dream big, think big, plan big. Big success rarely comes from modest dreams, goals and thinking…so let it rip. 
  • Develop a Growth Mindset: Embrace challenges, setbacks, and failures as opportunities to learn and grow. Believe in your ability to develop skills and improve over time.
  • Create a Plan: Develop a detailed action plan outlining the steps you need to take to achieve your goals. This provides structure and keeps you focused.
  • Prioritize and Manage Time: Identify your most important tasks (MITs) each day and allocate time blocks to work on them. Use techniques like the Pomodoro Technique to maintain focus and productivity.
  • Eliminate Distractions: Minimize interruptions and distractions during your work periods. Turn off notifications, create a dedicated workspace, and communicate your focused periods to those around you.
  • Stay Consistent: Consistency is key. Commit to working on your goals regularly, even on days when you don’t feel motivated. Honestly, a half assed effort on days you’re not feeling it is better than no effort at all. Over time, consistent effort yields significant results.
  • Embrace Discipline: Develop self-discipline by setting boundaries, sticking to your schedule, and making conscious choices that align with your goals.
  • Seek Continuous Learning: Invest in your personal and professional development. Stay updated with industry trends, acquire new skills, and broaden your knowledge base.
  • Embrace Failure and Adapt: Accept that setbacks are part of the journey. Analyze failures, learn from them, and adjust your strategies accordingly.
  • Review and Adjust: Regularly assess your progress and adjust your goals and strategies if needed. Flexibility is crucial as circumstances change.

Pushing yourself to success is a gradual process that requires dedication and perseverance. Be patient with yourself. Some days you’ll say the heck with it, I need me time. That’s fine too. Don’t be afraid to seek guidance or support when needed. The journey may have challenges, but the rewards are well worth the effort. I’ve yet to find a single person who regrets using their God given talents and abilities to their fullest potential. I’m certain you won’t be the first.

Want more of LeadToday? I’ve changed things up on my Twitter feed for subscribers. I recently began publishing two or three videos each week focusing on an element of Authentic Leadership. I’ll post these videos each Tuesday and Thursday morning. Sometimes a bonus video pops up at other times during the week. They will be about 10 minutes long so we can get into the topic in a more meaningful way. The investment for subscribers in still only $4.99 a month. That’s for at least 80 MINUTES of quality video content on leadership a month.

If you’re interested in taking a look, head on over to my Twitter profile page. If you’re not a follower yet just hit the follow button. It will change to a subscribe button and once you hit that you’re on your way. You can cancel at any time you’ve decided you have nothing left to learn about leading the people who you count on for your success.

Here’s the link to my Twitter… https://twitter.com/leadtoday