For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent. – Tony Robbins and here
Couldn’t quit Cold Turkey? Try smoking one fewer every three or four days. Cut back by two per week. Slow and steady may be an easier way for you to get the change started (and keep it going).
What does that mean?
This quote puts none too fine a point on it. To actually get a useful, valuable, and permanent change, you have to do two things. You have to stick with it (lasting), and you have to be regular about doing it (consistent).
By sticking with it, you will repeat the change over and over, until it becomes a part of you. By doing it regularly, it will be come a natural thing for you to do.
However, if you do it regularly, but only for a short time, it won’t make for much of a change. Similarly, doing it for years, every other month without fail, well, that isn’t going to make much of a change either, will it?
Why is change important?
Some people say change is hard, or at least it is a difficult thing to do. I disagree with that idea. To me, change is life. Nothing stays the same. Things change. Everywhere, and all the time.
That said, the changes I spoke of tend to be slow moving, but both lasting and consistent. The wind and rain that wear down the mountains would be one of the slowest but steadiest example on the planet.
I would recommend a similar plan for your changes. You don’t lose 20 pounds in a week, at least not in a healthy manner. A 3 pack a day smoker doesn’t quit overnight, at least not usually. In both cases, smaller steps over a longer time gives both the lasting and consistent force to help you make the change.
Where can I apply this in my life?
It’s kind of sad, but this quote could be the story of my life. The consistent part I can usually do without too much difficulty. It’s the lasting part that usually gets me. I find that I’m too easily distracted and often ended up over-scheduled and dropping tasks, and losing the change.
The biggest thing I could do to make things happen, and keep happening, is to schedule them. If I scheduled exercise, and un-scheduled snacks, I could lose weight with greater ease, right? Unfortunately, my present work and life schedules aren’t cooperating.
But enough about my excuses, what are yours? While my delivery may appear jovial, I am actually very serious. Anyone can use practically anything as an excuse, a reason why things aren’t going the way they would prefer them to be going.
Take mine. If I were truly serious, I would make the time, even getting up early to make sure the exercise was completed each day (or whatever my schedule ended up being). The *reason* (not the *excuse* about) why things aren’t getting done is my lack of priority.
From the low priority given flows the lack of sticking with it and the lack of regularity. If you don’t make it a priority, how are you going to be sure it isn’t pushed aside from time to time (lack of regularity) or dropped for “a while” during a busy week (lack of sticking with it).
Grab some paper and write down three or four changes you are still interested in accomplishing (leave a lot of space near each one), and then write down your present excuse or excuses. Now take a closer look at each and figure out what the real challenge is, and write that down.
Now that you have the actual challenge that’s making it hard to be lasting and consistent, you can better determine what your necessary course of action will be. Take a moment and write down at least two, preferably more, ways you can either completely remove the challenge, or at least reduce the difficulties it can cause you in your pursuit of a lasting change.
Take a look at your list and select one of the changes you wish to make first. Look at all your excuses, and realize how silly they truly are to someone who is committed to making the change.
Now look through the possible ways to get past your actual challenge and select the one you think is going to work the best for you, realizing that you can always try another if this one fails to work as well as you hoped.
Take a moment and figure out what the first few steps are, which should be fairly easy if you started this change before. Finally, make the change real in your mind by taking the first step. Right now.
And the change has begun…
From: Twitter, @persdevquotes
confirmed at : http://thinkexist.com/quotation/for_changes_to_be_of_any_true_value-they-ve_got/297190.html
Photo by DucDigital
