Overwhelming Force - 7 Day Challenge - Who's In?

[Dave Navarro]

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:

1. First, you decide what you're going to change.
2. 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?"
3. 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.

[Dave Navarro]

Day 1 has come and gone and it's been a good one. Overwhelming force for anger management is working, here's how I'm working it:

• I set up a playlist on my iPod for an anger management program I picked up last year. Listened to it first thing this morning.
• Scripted a short, 30 second message that I repeated to myself over and over during the day, reminding me how important it was to keep my cool, what challenges my temper has been creating, and why I was more than capable of overcoming it.
• Focused on individual moments during the day where my better temper was improving things and savored the moments.
• Listened to the playlist again at night.

Was it a perfect day? No, I still raised my voice a few times, and had to choke back a few moments where my blood boiled. But the big difference was I could instantly tell when my temper was flaring, and instead of being reactive and at the mercy of my emotions, I had some mental ammo prepared and shot those heated emotions down quickly.

Hmm ... maybe that metaphor isn't the best one to use to describe a successful go at anger management ...

Tomorrow I'll need to make time to work in some ways to prepare for anger management at work - I don't have a bad temper at the office, but I'm finding I get frustrated and stressed very easily right now (my job has radically transformed from an enjoyable, challenging job to a paper-pushing bureaucratic routine and I'm pretty torqued about it).

Tomorrow will rock though - 'cause I'm going in all guns blazing.

Over 100 thread views and no responses ... anyone want to join me?

Keep rocking,

Dave

[vickz]

Dave,
I want to do it too. Starting tomorrow.

Keep it up.

Vickz

[vickz]

I did OK today so far. I am trying to meet a certain goal but I was not able to use overwhelming force. I miss the intensity but I am serious and working on it.

Keep it up Dave. Don't give up.

Vickz