This is an older blog-post around changing habits. The blogger Sam echos my adage that unless you start with desire or motivation - you will never turn the knowledge or skill into an actual change. He lists 7 tips to help focus.

James Clear wrote a book called Atomic Habits - this is an excerpt where he details four stages “cue, craving, response, and reward” to break down the habit loop and give some insights as to what these look like IRL. His summary for making a change in habits is: “How can I make it obvious? How can I make it attractive? How can I make it easy? How can I make it satisfying?” Answer these questions - then put on repeat and make a new habit. Ta da! Helpful tips after one has understood what one really wants.

The podcast series is Coaching for Leaders from Dave Stachowiak, in this one from 2015 Kendra Kinnison talks about getting yourself unstuck - particularly as a leader. The conversation goes into the tiny habits approach from BJ Fogg, researcher at Stanford on the tiniest steps one can take to change.

Make 2019 the year you actually do all the things you want to do? NYT collected an overview from experts and journals for the most useful tips one can take to heart. Some good reference points to be found.

What is that reward trigger we are looking for? Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction – from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they’re bad for us. Judson goes into the mechanisms behind habit development.

Supersize Me insights?

Going from a desk-jockey to someone who cycles to work everyday? This is a fun little TED on 30 day challenges from Matt Cutts addresses the question: Is there something you’ve always meant to do, wanted to do, but just … haven’t? Solution? Try it for 30 days and see what happens.

Back in one of my first Transforming Talent insights, I featured the great TED talk from Mel Robbins on how to stop screwing yourself over. After a Q&A session a listener responded that the 5 second rule wasn’t working, Mel goes on to ask: what are you getting out of a habit that is stopping you from changing because there has to be something. This snippet is a good little reminder to use the 5 second rule to get over that innere schweinehund (internal lazy dog).