The 3 simple reasons why certain healthy behaviors elude us
We know certain behaviors would be good for us: exercise, meditation, healthy eating, gratitude practice, reaching out to mentors each day, etc….
But we don’t feel like it.
Did you know that…
motivation is unpredictable and unreliable?
without a prompt, no behavior can happen?
negative, perfectionistic thoughts and deprecating self-talk can demotivate you?
Here’s the thing… you’re not alone and there are scientific explanations for your struggle. BJ Fogg, behavioral scientist, has identified 3 reasons why you aren’t doing what you think you should be doing:
Impact: You’re not sure that a certain behavior will be most effective in satisfying your aspiration.
Motivation: You don’t really want to do it.
Ability: You don’t have the tools, space, time, reminder, or skill for that behavior. Or you’ve set the bar too high (I’ll run 30 minutes every day, for example, is too big and ambitious.)
So, the first step is to “magic wand” or brainstorm all potential behaviors that could help you reach your aspiration (i.e. reduce stress, get better sleep, get more productive, read or write more). Using a coach to do this would be a good idea.
Then, narrow down the list to 3-6 “Golden Behaviors” that fit all three criteria (impact, motivation, and ability).
Now, turn them into habits. See the Tiny Habits Recipe Maker for ideas.
And like shoes, you can try them on and if they don’t fit, just put them back on the shelf.