Tiny Leaps, Big Changes

In this episode, we look at how we form habits. Sponsor: Right now Blinkist has a special offer just for our audience. Go to blinkist.com/TINYLEAPS to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off of a Blinkist Premium membership. The Problem I’ve mentioned on this podcast a number of times that the secret to moving forward is taking consistent action over long periods of time. I’ve also spent an enormous amount of time talking about how taking advantage of the habit system can make it significantly easier to do that. The process for change becomes really simple when we break it down into these two things. You identify the change you want to create You figure out the key behavior that will drive it You turn that behavior into a habit Over time the change occurs It’s basic, straightforward, and makes sense. But obviously simple and basic aren’t quite enough to create change. Digging Deeper You may already know this but let’s quickly cover what exactly a habit is. According to Oxford, a habit is defined as a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. In other words, they are the things you regularly lean towards doing when faced with a similar situation. This could be something good for you like brushing your teeth or it could be something detrimental like responding negatively to anxiety. This is an important point. From the brain’s point of view, there is no difference between a good habit and a bad habit. There are just tendencies in our behavior that get reinforced. So how do habits form? In a response on the website 1440.org Dr. Judson Brewer said this about habits: “In brain speak, the habit loop needs a trigger, a behavior, and a reward.” The Solution Well the first thing to remember is that it doesn’t matter whether you are purposefully building a good habit or accidentally building a bad habit. The process is going to be the same. This means you need to be careful of how you respond to things. But assuming that we want to purposefully build a good habit, one that aligns with the goals we’ve set, then we simply need to look at the process and try to create those outcomes. We need a trigger of some kind and we need a similar context. This could be anything, just pick something that you can repeat on a close to daily basis. This is why tools like Habit Stacking, the process of piling a new habit on top of an existing habit work. The existing habit already has a trigger and so you piggy back your new habit with that existing trigger.

In this episode, we look at why working hard isn't enough to create the life you want.  Sponsor: Bring an authentic boxing and kickboxing gym into your home with FightCamp. To get your FREE gift, just go to JoinFightCamp.com/CHANGES. www.JoinFightCamp.com/CHANGES.

In this episode, we look at why failure is such a big problem. Sponsor: http://athleticgreens.com/tinyleaps

In this episode, we look at how anxiety might be a habit.  Sponsor: http://curology.com/tinyleaps Resources: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-and-panic/201505/how-break-the-habit-being-worried-and-anxious https://www.anxietycentre.com/FAQ/can-thinking-anxiously-turn-into-a-habit.shtml https://www.1440.org/blog/is-anxiety-a-habit-talking-with-dr-judson-brewer https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/causes-of-anxiety

In this episode, we look at two different approaches to changing behavior and break down which is the “best”. Get excited because you are now listening to Tiny Leaps, Big Changes. Share Your Voice: www.andstillivote.org

In this episode, we look at 3 personal finance podcasts that are worth checking out.  Resources Mentioned: https://network.tlbc.co/show/market-adventures/ https://www.investingfromthebeach.com/ https://martinisandyourmoney.com/ http://tinyleapsplus.com

In this episode, we look at a bad habit you should try to break asap.  Resources Mentioned: http://blinkist.com/tinyleaps http://tinyleapsplus.com

In this episode, we look at 3 simple ways to stop hitting snooze.  Secure the vote: www.andstillivote.org

In this episode, I share 3 habits you should consider building asap.

In this episode, we look at how your environment affects your day to day behavior.  The Problem We often make the mistake when trying to develop ourselves and improve our lives by just focusing on the actual behavior change. This matters. Of course if we get ourselves to stop doing something it would lead to some kind of change in our outcome. But it’s not the whole picture. This is proven by the sheer number of people who commit themselves to development each year only to drop off within a few months. Here’s how it typically happens. We get excited about the chance to start clean. We set our goals, get some friends involved to hold us accountable, and start taking action. But yet change doesn’t come. What’s going on? Resources: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/02/09/new-study-reveals-how-long-new-years-resolutions-usually-last/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/01/16/thursday-january-17-day-most-new-years-resolutions-fail/2539402002/