Greetings, all. Just re-read Steve's
Overwhelming Force article and it got me thinking about a habit change I've been struggling with - not because it's so hard to overcome, but because I haven't decided to go at it guns blazing. I'm sure you know how it goes - you try a little habit change, you're successful at first, and then you slack off, thinking "This is nothing, I've got it taken care of."
Then after a while ... THWAP! ... That sucker's back.
So I'm issuing myself one of the 7-day challenges I like to do for myself, but this time I'm inviting the rest of you in as well, because it's just more fun that way. Here's what the 7-day challenge is all about
:
- First, you decide what you're going to change.
- Then, you ask yourself, "What would I have to do to make sure this happens, no matter what, no matter what obstacles get in my way?"
- Then, you make a plan to overcome each obstacle with overwhelming force, so that you can't possibly screw it up.
It's kind of like catching an early morning flight - you've got to get up at 3am, or you'll miss your plane. What do you do to make sure there is no possible way you miss the plane? Do you set an additional alarm clock? Or three? Do you use a wake-up call service to give you a ring at 3am? Do you go to bed an extra 2 hours early so you make sure you're rested enough to get out of bed?
Bottom line is, if you're going to make that flight, you won't let anything stand as an excuse to not getting up and getting moving. You will do as many things as you have to to guarantee your success, because you only get one shot.
It's the same with Overwhelming Force. You decide that you will not tolerate any obstacle, any excuse getting in your way, and you hammer like hell at it. You plan around it. You find ways to strip away the drama and just get the damned thing done.
My 7-day challenge is anger management. I've used strategies to successfully knock this out in the past, but I got lazy, left the door open, and I'm tolerating myself acting way out of line. So it's time for a 7 day challenge to kick this problem where it hurts.
7 days is a good timeline because it leaves no room for being lazy, or half-hearted, or incomplete. All. Guns. Blazing.
I know what to do, and I'll post what I'm doing for 7 days - starting tonight or tomorrow, after I write out my plan.
If you'd like to tackle your own habit change with Overwhelming Force, join along. Tell us what you're working on, then go off and write a plan for how you will attack it with all you've got. Then follow through. I'd love to see your progress.
I know what to do, so I'd better go do it. You do the same.
