While chatting about goals for 2016 the other day, I thought about how to create unstoppable movement towards these goals, and the reasons why we sometimes don’t take action, despite wanting to achieve the goals so bad!
It’s funny sometimes how we know what needs to be done, know that we need to go to the gym, know that we should clean up, and yet never get up off the couch or never take that first step towards taking this action.
It seems that our brain takes the easy option and the options that involves the least thinking – which means the dishes don’t get done, the room doesn’t get cleaned, you start putting on weight, but you get to chill out on the couch and catch up on TV series. At the end of your life, would you want this written about you on your gravestone?
“Philip was great at watching TV, catching up on TV every evening.”
I do not want this written about me. I want to be known for challenging people to achieve greatness, known for achieving goals I set for myself, coaching people towards their own goals and being friendly, loyal and loving to everyone I come in contact with. So why does our brain sometimes lean towards the easy option?
I think it comes down to habits and the brains circuitry. Habitual behavior, like brushing your teeth, the brain does without much effort. Reading the New Scientist article on habits the other day, they said that up to 40% of what we do on a day is habitual, therefore unconscious. Imagine that nearly half your thoughts and actions in a day are habitual and not conscious.
I think this is how sometimes we find ourselves years down the road with bad habits that are impacting our health, relationships and life – and not for the better. We’re not consciously living, instead subconsciously experiencing life and not choosing where or what we’re doing.
So what can we do to change this? How do we start living, start choosing what we do instead of habitually living unconsciously? What we need to do is to start setting goals, writing down plans to achieve them and the taking ACTION. Achieving goals that challenge you, and are aligned with your values will bring you the greatest level of satisfaction. I’ve written and spoken about setting goals previously and the links are below:
5 Minute Coach – Knowledge, Action and Habit
Have you 5 minutes to change your day? – My quick and easy 10 step goal setting process
So stop living unconsciously – set goals, write plans to achieve them and don’t die with your music still in you! You have too much to offer the world, and by achieving your goals you bring more of yourself to the world and impact other people with your greatness!
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