Blog 20:  Self propel . . . we repeat behaviours when they are positively reinforced.

focus on the process and the results will come 2

Let’s pick up from

So if we can get YOU results, then your motivation increases.  May i suggest that you see ‘results’ as two dimensional:

  • Results Dimension 1:  The actual results that see you chipping away at your big outcomes.  In the example of someone trying to lose weight, seeing your decreasing weight on your scales would inform this. 
  • Results Dimension 2:  Implementation of the habits (actions) you have celebrated.  This is a key focus of this blog and needs to be celebrated.  Just shifting your behaviour to implementing habits consistently is a win. Celebrate that. Using the example of someone trying to lose weight, the calorie counter would be the informer (or your exercise regime).  Celebrate that you are using the calorie counter. 

i hope you can see from the weight loss example that i am encouraging you to celebrate both your implementation of the habits (counting calories) and staying under your daily calorie threshold.  The results in terms of weight loss will flow if you stick to your plan.  So, you need to hold confidence in your plan.  If we can generate your motivation by recognizing your implementation of the habits, as part of a larger engineered process, the results will flow.  The key is in the Results Dimension 2.  Implementing small habits into your life’s rhythms and routines. 

This is where the notion of self-propelling comes in.  Self-propelling is defined as:

Something containing within itself the means of propulsion or movement

vocabulary.com

Within the context of developing motivation to achieve your desired outcomes, let’s reword it like this:

Self-propelling:  Someone (YOU) . . . containing within yourself the means of propulsion or movement . . . and those ‘means’ are your habits. 

So let the math around your implementation of the habits speak to you.  Let that be the stimulus that reinforces the behaviour.  Maintain evidence that you are implementing your habits regularly, all be it a tally sheet, calendar, diary, excel sheet or app.  Whatever works. What matters most is that you are capturing the implementation of your habits.  The data will motivate you and provide you the confidence that you are on track. 

Remember your habits are a reflection of your planning.  Planning that has been backward mapped from your outcomes.  If you have engineered your process correctly, then the implementation of your habits should have the effect of achieving your outcomes – go back to blog 17 where we discussed this and provided real life examples. 

celebrate your small wins

Celebrate the implementation of habits.  These are small wins.  You provide the positive reinforcement to yourself that will drive continued motivation.  We have spoken previously in blogs about being kind to yourself.  How can you reward or savor (provide positive reinforcement) your achievement?  Here’s how Positive Psychology defines positive reinforcement:

Positive reinforcement refers to the introduction of a desirable or pleasant stimulus after a behavior. The desirable stimulus reinforces the behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will reoccur.

Positive Psychology

Let that desired stimulus be your data that shows you have successfully implemented your habits and the small reward you give yourself for your implementation.

You are going to need to be a disciplined person, but just know on the other side of your discipline are the outcomes you desire. 

In summary, how can I self-propel?  Let math reinforce the implementation of your habits (the actions).  Have confidence in your plans.  Measure your implementation.  Be disciplined. 

©Good to Great

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