Habits = You, Part 2
In part 1 I talked about the importance of habits and how our habitual ways of thinking and acting shape who we are over time.
Today I want to share some of my habits - and not those ones! I’ll share not to brag that I’ve got this whole habits thing sorted, but to illustrate the thinking that got me there, in the hope that the process has something in it for you. Don’t adopt my habits, see how the process can help you shape your habits and thereby shape you.
I start with clarity about who I am and who I want to become - my identity.
In relation to the habits below, I am, or am becoming:
Physically and mentally strong and resilient
An exceptional coach
A successful entrepreneur
Someone who experiences fulfilling work every day
A caring, attentive and supportive husband
The above statements give me a stake to build my habits around.
Habit 1: Time management. I am very careful in how I schedule my time. Specifically on Monday 9-10am I plan my work week. I have 5 colours on my calendar, representing: Coaching, Business Development, Getting Better, Creativity and Personal. The first four relate to my business. I have a goal for how many hours I will spend on each and as far as possible balance my week this way. The first things on the calendar are lunch and exercise. My weekends and most evenings I keep free. I leave space for creativity.
Habit 2: Morning routine. Every week day is the same. I get up, I feed the cats, I make a lovely cup of English tea for Lindsey and myself, I put on an audiobook or podcast, I do strength and flexibility exercises, I do 20 minutes of mindfulness, I have my breakfast, I wash/shower then I start work. The impact of this is enormous over time.
Habit 3: Scheduling and tracking the blue collar work. Just as habits create ourselves, habits also create our creations, including our businesses. The “blue collar work” of creating a business is to put the hours into the most important tasks, day after day. I schedule the business development activities such as making new connections, inviting people into conversations, creating content (like this article!) and more. And then I TRACK them. On Friday afternoon I schedule time to track and graph the number of people I have contacted, the number of coaching conversations I have had, the number and value of proposals I have made, the hours spent on my dream projects and more. It’s important that I track the things that are in MY control - so, for example, the number of proposals, not the number of people who said yes.
Habit 4: Review and adjust my habits regularly to check in: What’s working, what’s not? Is this fulfilling? Am I on track to my goals and dreams? Am I enjoying the process?
What are you learning about how focussing on identity first can change your habits? Please leave a comment below!
Jon
This article is part of 100 Days of Creation, my challenge to myself to write 100 articles in 140 days, each taking no longer than 30 minutes to write and publish.