Did you make any New Year’s resolutions this year? If you did, were they general or specific? Were they big or small? I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, but I am a fan of goal setting, no matter the time of year.
In my experience, having goals in life is smart. It gives us something to shoot for and increases our chances of success. However, aiming too high and biting off more than you can chew are sure ways to end up abandoning your objective like joining the gym on Jan 2nd thinking you’ll be working out five times a week, but, alas, by Jan 21st, you barely darken the door.
If you want to make big change that lasts, it's better to start small and work your way up. My experience proves this true. In keeping with our January theme of In with the New in 2022 , we will dive into How Small Habits Can Lead to Big Change. I expect to learn something and I bet you will, too.
Start Slow
Our brain circuitry is actually wired to adapt to incremental changes and repetition. If you start taking small steps toward a bigger goal, your brain will begin to develop new neural pathways that make achieving that goal easier. As these pathways are created, you'll notice that what once seemed difficult becomes more routine. Jumping right in can overstimulate your brain and cause resistance.
Use Strategy
Let's take a common real-life example and examine how making small changes can add to big results. Growing your business. If you make a goal to grow your business, what are small things that add up over time? First, do some research to discover what works for others in the same type of business as yours. Make a list of the top five things people do to grow their businesses. Choose the easiest thing on the list (No Kidding!), then lay out how you will implement it. Add it to your list for today, put it on the calendar. I wouldn’t even plan to do it every day. How about twice this week? Maybe three times for the next two weeks after that. When I say small steps, I mean it.
After a few weeks assess if that step is working. If so, time to implement the next easiest thing on your list. If not, perhaps you decide to tweak that step and try it for a few more weeks or retire that one and go on to the next easiest thing on the list. After several more weeks, reassess and move to the next item. You don’t stop doing the first things on the list. You are adding to them. Yes, this process takes time. The amount of time is different for each person. Like sand through an hourglass (boy, that takes me back to my granny’s kitchen table watching Days of our Lives with her), small steps do add up.
Make it a Lifestyle Change
I consider these lifestyle changes, whether in my personal life or my business life. Making habits last can happen when you take small steps that fit easily into your current lifestyle. Consider your personality and preferences when setting goals. Find ways to sneak new habits into what you're already doing. You email your list sometimes. Perhaps you make a goal to email your list every Tuesday. Prepare for that – add it to your calendar. Add the prep for that email to your calendar. Add a sticky note to your workspace to remind you to do this. And do it for several weeks or several months. Now, that’s a business lifestyle habit being created.
The Bottom Line
These are just some examples of how small habits can lead to big changes. Keep in mind that you can always add new habits and strive for bigger goals once you feel comfortable. The trick is to work your way up gradually. Soon, you'll see major results. Who won this race? The tortoise or the Hare?
