inspiration – Page 5 – Inspiration2grow

The 1% Improvement Mindset

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset December 23, 2022January 11, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/TBOL76EPvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I invite you to join the 1% Club. What’s that? I am so glad you asked.

Do you know what does not get stressed enough these days? Tiny, incremental 1% improvements.

It must be because they are so small and mundane. But I challenge you to rethink progress and shift your mindset from: I don’t see any change -> I am 1% better than yesterday.

Gaining confidence won’t come overnight. Success in anything we attempt doesn’t happen overnight. Building a well-toned body certainly doesn’t happen overnight.

Don’t be fooled by the 1%. Just because the number seems small, doesn’t mean it is insignificant.

This paradigm shift will allow you to think bigger, feel more capable and be more consistent in whatever it is you choose to go after.

Let me outline the life cycle of change:

People want to change. Then they hear an idea, tip or trick that resonates with them and will help them change. Motivation is felt. In the beginning, motivation leads to action. This action is not leading to immediate change. Due to lack of immediate change, the person quits.

Can you relate? Hands up!

This life cycle is evident in any field.

We live in a non-linear world. In many things we do, massive changes are not guaranteed in the initial stages even though we are putting in a lot of effort yet not seeing much if any improvement.

But the real beauty of non-linear work is that over time… small efforts lead to exponential wins and gains.

So, how can we be consistent enough to experience the bright sides of non-linear effects?

Strive for 1% progress each day.

With 1% changes, you will not shock your subconscious mind. It wants change, but it hates abrupt twists or pivots.

In the beginning, 1% changes are perfect for easing the subconscious mind into a new mode of being.

What’s a 1% change you can make in your day?

Let’s say you are trying to become a better writer. Rather than writing a book all at once… try writing a paragraph.

Focus on the micro rather than the macro.

Let’s take changing your daily eating habits to reflect the new, healthy lifestyle you’d like to implement.

Rather than committing to a strict diet or intermittent fasting – as seen on TikTok, choose one small improvement such as increasing your water intake.

Your subconscious mind feels very scared of major adaptations to your life, but it will feel much better with tiny things you start to introduce.

Is 1% improvement fixed?

The 1% mentality gets the ball rolling. I’d like you to picture a small snowball at the top of a snow-covered mountain.

Once you have the snowball rolling and momentum on your side, you can expand from there.

One thing leads to another, and you feel happy, pleased and proud of yourself. Things take on a dimension of their own. Why?

Because the brain has this think called the “Law of Closure” which means the brain loves to close gaps. It pushes you to do more when action has been initiated.

With a 1% improvement mindset, you’re capable of getting the ball rolling and momentum on your side working for you.

Turn snowballs into avalanches!

Don’t underestimate the 1% improvement promise. Tiny changes add up over time. And the 1% mentality can be applied to any field, whether it’s your personal life or professional life.

1% improvements lead to colossal changes. They allow the easily rattled subconscious mind not to be rattled.

So, have I convinced you that even the smallest 1% changes and improvements over yesterday are game-changing for your success in whatever you are striving to achieve?

I truly hope so, and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Take Your Power Back by Doing ‘The Work’

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset December 23, 2022January 11, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/BJJ16epPvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are going to get down to business and do the ‘work’.

You might be asking what work are you talking about. The ‘work’ I am referring to today is actually one of the most empowering, personal and revelatory experiences you can commit to doing.

By simply doing ‘the work’ for a few minutes each day, you’ll become a more powerful human being than you could have ever imagined. Have I piqued your interest yet? I sure hope so.

Do this and you’ll start to operate on a higher level, playing a much bigger game in life.

You’re just 7 steps away from achieving this. If you take action on what I’m about to share, you’ll feel a monumental shift inside yourself.
So, in no particular order, I strongly encourage you to…

1.       Write a list of all the most important things you have been procrastinating and do them, ONE BY ONE. Break through your fears.
2.       Write a lit of all the things you have not been saying that you want to say. Go say them. Reclaim your power.
3.       Turn off the TV, phone and all other distractions, sit in silence and listen to the wisdom within every single day for at least 10 – 15 minutes (music is optional). Tune into your higher self.
4.       Write a list of all the people, things and circumstances you have been blaming, resenting or resisting, and let it all go. If you need to be in communication about any of these to anyone, go and do that. Discover who you really are.
5.       Write a list of all the things, people and circumstances you have been tolerating and speak your truth instead to yourself and to any others as is appropriate. Wake yourself up.
6.       Write a list of all your attachments and begin a process of letting them go. ALL OF THEM. Trust your intuition.
7.       Contemplate the idea that you are exactly where you need to be; everything is perfect and unfolding exactly as it is meant to for your growth and evolution.
The universe is conspiring in your favour whether you realize it or not.

These steps are not for everyone. Nor are they a “one-and-done” exercise.

Think of it more like a checklist for a lifetime of evolution.

The more you refer back to it, the greater your results will be.

Committing to ‘the work’ takes immense courage, eternal patience, an open heart and trust.

Your reward, as I said before, is unlocking your full power, both internally and externally.

The magic is truly in doing ‘the work’.

But, regardless if you do these things or not…

Whether you’re ready or not, willing or not…

See yourself as capable or not…

Just know this: Simply by reading/listening to this podcast, your world has already begun to shift.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Never Quit on Yourself Again

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset December 23, 2022January 11, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE-> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/TV4UsH0Ovwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I am going to change your mind about quitting.

People who quit too soon are abundant. They quit before even giving themselves the chance to be great.

Greatness does not come to quitters. It’s high time to change your mindset so you can learn how to stop being a quitter!

Why do people quit? There is a myriad of reasons, but let me boil it down to 5 basic reasons:

They experience a lack of desire, they have a results vs. process-based mindset, they set unrealistic deadlines or unattainable goals, or they listen and place too much value on other people’s opinions.

Quitting leads to temporary satisfaction (i.e. giving up on your diet plan) in exchange for long term pain.

So, the why is clear and now we’re going to do something to help you see your goals and intentions through without quitting on yourself again.

1.    Have a strong desire for your goal

Desire for the task will make or break you. A person without desire will constantly need motivation and encouragement.

But a person driven by desire…
Desire serves as the bridge between your idea & manifestation. So, you need to spark desire.

How? You find your WHY.

You’ve heard me talk about this in previous episodes. Never jump into the ‘what’ of you goal without defining your ‘why’.

If you don’t narrow down why you are doing it, the ‘it’ will feel too much like work. As humans, we don’t respond well to things that we perceive as work, unfortunately.

Finding your ‘why’ allows you to view ‘work’ as ‘play’. This hack allows you to think of the big picture and engage your emotions in the process.

So, from the very beginning, sharpen your ‘why’ and be able to express it in one sentence. You can always revisit it and tweak and refine it later on. But do your best to narrow it down.

2.    Focus on the process, not results

We were and are (still) brought up to focus on the results over the process thanks to our school system. We were only rewarded for the marks we got, as opposed to the studying and effort we put into an exam.

We really need to change our mindset in this regard.

Focusing on the end result causes you to rush toward the finish line and not relish the in-between (moments of small wins and joy). Keep results in the back of your mind.

Instead, focus on the NOW, be present and place your focus on improving. Your journey will be that much more fulfilling.

3.    Break your goals down

A brick wall is made by adding one brick at a time.

In life, we have big goals and micro goals along the way. If you focus on the big goal (the wall in my analogy), then you’ll feel terribly overwhelmed.

But…if you focus on the micro goals (the bricks), then you’ll feel confident.

I encourage you to learn how to break your goals down into micro goals and aim to accomplish the larger task one brick at a time.

4.    Track your results

What gets tracked, gets improved.

It’s interesting that people just skip over this step and then wonder why they aren’t improving. It’s difficult to learn how to stop being a quitter and end that cycle once and for all, when you lack any tangible metrics.

Execution is awesome and that’ what we want to see. However, tracking allows you to work with purpose every time you begin working toward a goal.

And the more you track, the more your subconscious mind makes adjustments to bring you the results that you desire.

So, be sure to set up a tracking system. It needn’t be complicated or elaborate, something simple will suffice.

5.    Set deadlines

Deadlines bring a sense of urgency into your world.

And keep this in mind, ALWAYS have a scarcity mindset towards time. One second lost is one second that will never be returned to you again. This is the reason why it’s imperative for you to start taking your time much more seriously.

Setting deadlines allows you to value your time and make the most out of every second. In addition, you feel more accountable in the process.

6.    Learn to rest, not quit

This is a skill you have to learn on it own and a major key in the entire process because a lot of people quit due to feeling burnt out from working non-stop, relentlessly toward their goal.

They view resting as something ludicrous, ridiculous and not what they need…until their body refuses to comply with their demands.

This is why resting is absolutely crucial.

Earn your rest by putting in the necessary work (on your goal), then unwind and do so without regret.

7.    Become tone deaf to other people’s opinions

There will be people along the way that try to hold you back from chasing your goals and dreams.

People, perhaps relatives or close friends, might try to distract you from focusing on your goals. They might say you’re crazy to dedicate so much time to the thing you’re going after.

Stick to your guns. Follow your desired path. Revisit your why when you feel tempted. Whatever you do, stay focused on your goal.

Other people may not approve of your level-up journey, but who cares? You certainly don’t live your life to please them.

This may be hard, but, if necessary, cut ties with the people who don’t support your efforts and goals. And this brings me right into the next point…

8.    Surround yourself with winners

When you surround yourself with goal-getters like yourself, winners and people who are hungry to chase down their dreams, quitting is not even a thought. Their moves and behaviours will undoubtedly rub off on you. You will be much more focused and determined, almost through osmosis.

These people you choose to be around will have a huge influence on your future.

“You are the sum of the 5 people you spend time with.”

So, avoid spending time with those who are staying stagnant in their life, the ones with no goals or ambitions and find winners to spend more time with.

                Life changes when you stop quitting

Every success both personally and professionally that I have experienced in my life was due to me working hard on my goals.

Luck finds people who are moving forward, working with purpose and showing up for themselves, putting in the necessary work EVERY.DAMN.DAY.

If you apply these tips 1 – 8, then quitting will become a joke to you.

You will finally understand that goal chasing is one of the most fulfilling acts out there and available to you right now.

Shift and fix your mindset regarding quitting and levelling up becomes much easier and accessible for you. Remember this… your goals is waiting to be reached once you have mastered how to stop being a quitter.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Closing the Gap & Taking Massive Action

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset December 23, 2022January 11, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/seQeMdCOvwb

Close the Gap From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Today I’d like to provide you with 4 major action steps to create a kind of ‘Success Code’ to help you reach your next level and bust through some limiting beliefs which are holding you back from achieving great things.

I am obsessed with gaps -> getting from point A to point B, reducing the distance between my goals, enjoying the process and rejoicing in the progress along the way. And I constantly look for these gaps in my life and I hope you do too.

For example, the gap between having to retire early and starting my new life coaching business which I absolutely love. The gap between wanting to get my message out into the world and actually becoming a podcaster with listeners from around the world. The gap between poor health due to years of neglect and losing 10 + kilos (that’s only the beginning of my weight loss journey), regaining my mobility and significantly reducing my pain and daily amount of medication.
The gaps look different for everybody. But we all have them to some degree.

Today’s 4 Step Success Code will help you go from your current situation to where you want to be, but…

Implementation is the key. If you are not going to make an effort to change your situation by implementing the steps I am providing you with, then shut off this podcast right now. You will only be wasting your time. My aim is to help people go from ‘just getting by’ to awesome and thriving and that’s only going to happen if you sincerely take the time, put in the effort and follow these actionable items. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s dive right in.

Action Step #1 – Gain Clarity

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have absolute clarity on what you want. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it can evolve over time. So, get clear on WHAT you really want and WHERE you really are. We all have a gap we want to close, maybe in our personal lives or a professional goal you want to achieve.

Clarity is power! The clearer you are about what you want, the more rapidly you can achieve things. Think of ONE thing you’d like to achieve either as a personal goal or a professional goal. Be very specific when jotting this down. This should be something you are committed to doing but have pushed aside and made up excuses why the time wasn’t right. Focus on what it is you want and why you want to achieve this goal. Of course, it should be one that is achievable AND will totally excite you once accomplished.

Is there perhaps a goal in your emotional life you’d like to reach? For example, it might be waking up early and priming yourself to crush the day.

To help you gain the clarity, here are some questions you will have to ponder and write about:

1.       What precisely are you going to achieve?
2.       Why would it excite you?
3.       What would it mean to you?
4.       Why are you going to achieve it?
5.       When are you going to achieve it?
6.       How would it change the quality of your life and others?

Pro tip from a Mindset and Life Coach: You need to establish a very strong set of why’s. This will be your north star and you will refer back to it constantly. These why’s should get you up and hit the ground running in the morning and keep you up at night – that’s how intense your why’s need to be.

Action Step #2 – Destroy and Replace any Story of Limitation

It is going to take some work to identify where the belief came from and developing strategies to counteract this belief and replace it with another. Identifying and destroying beliefs is high level personal development, and can catapult you lightyears ahead in your own confidence and feelings of self-worth.

Now, I would like you to write down the limiting beliefs that might hinder you in achieving your goals.

I am going to give you five questions to help you do just this. Be as honest as you can.

1.       What are some stories that got in the way of achieving your goals?
2.       What is the new story you are telling yourself now?
3.       What is the old belief that got in the way?
4.       What is the new belief you need to adopt?
5.       What is the old lie that held you back?

Own your truth. Repeat your new belief 4 times. Celebrate it like you just achieved it. Remember, whatever you repeat with enough intensity, you will believe.
There is a philosophy of stretching which goes like this: If you can’t, you must! I believe this is a quote/concept from Jim Rohn, which means if you say you can’t do something, then you must do it and without hesitancy. Train yourself when limiting beliefs arise to just do the hard things. Become a no-limit person.

For reference, I talked about crushing limiting beliefs in previous podcasts:

Episode #5 – Shift Your Mindset for Growth
Episode #6 – 8 Questions to Crush Limiting Beliefs
Episode #15 – Taking Charge of Your Belief System

I strongly suggest listening to these because they offer more suggestions, tips and tactics of how to overcome your limitations.

Action Step #3 – Monitor and Shift Your Language of Self-Talk

Whether you are conscious of it or not, we all have a rather sneaky inner voice that constantly comments on what we are doing. Psychologists refer to this as self-talk. This inner dialogue directs us and tells us what to do in certain situations. Some examples when your self-talk actually supports you are when it says, “Look both ways before crossing the street” or “Stand up for yourself”. This type of self-talk helps us succeed and keeps us safe.

On the flip side, negative self-talk can be very destructive. You might not even be aware that much of this negative self-talk consists of beliefs which were programmed into us in our childhood. We heard them repeatedly and now we believe them and tell them to ourselves each time the same situation or event arises.

The problem comes when we accept this negative self-talk as the truth about us and our life.

·         I never have enough time.
·         There’s no use. I won’t be able to do it.
·         I know it won’t work.
·         I’m not good enough.

While this programming happened to you in your younger years, there’s still a chance for you to change your programming. And, you may discover hidden strengths where you previously had problems/struggles. The bottom line is that you are not doomed to live with this negative self-talk forever.

So, I have a few exercises I’d like you to try. Grab a notebook and start consciously paying attention to your self-talk. Write down some of the attitudes expressed during self-talk. What situation do you find yourself in? This is merely for more self-awareness.

According to the National Science Foundation the average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day. Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before and about 80% negative.

Gentle reminder: Observe your inner voice and take note of exactly what you are whispering to yourself. Then turn around and ask yourself, “Is this something I would say to a friend?” If the answer is no, then be kinder to yourself.

We are so harsh on ourselves most of the time. We really need to stop, turn on the ‘positivity and love program’ in our heads and start showing up for ourselves in an encouraging way, a supportive way, a loving way and most importantly, in a positive light. Release all self-judgement and embrace more self love.

There’s a little trick I heard about, and I thought it was pretty cool. You can go ahead and try it if you like. Place an elastic band on your left wrist (not one that will cut off your circulation!!) and when your sneaky inner voice says something negative to you. Switch the elastic band to the other wrist on your right arm, snap it and reframe the negative thought to a positive one.

For example, if I am in a situation where I think, “I am so bad at technology. I just can’t figure this out.” I would transfer the band to my other wrist, snap it and reframe my thought by stating, “Okay, I don’t know how to do it at the moment, but I am going to figure it out. I’ve got what it takes.”

Essentially, we are overwriting the negative program or thought and replacing it with a new program – to use a computer analogy. It may sound easy, but, believe me that it does take a lot of hard work and conscious effort.

Moving forward, I want you to remember that the words you attach to your experience, become your experience.

This leads me to the second exercise I’d like you to try to break the patterns of negative self-talk.

For this assignment, make a list of some of the words you use when you’re really angry, emotional, sad, depressed. Now, come up with 2 – 3 other words that will be humorous or will help break the pattern.

Be open to humor and give yourself permission to smile, chuckle or laugh during trying times. Look for humor in everyday happenings too. The minute your facial mimic changes to a smile and you can laugh at life, stress is released from your body.

Practicing any of these 3 activities should help break your state or pattern of negative emotion or self-talk. Our aim is to re-wire it, replace it and be able to crush it when the problem arises again. So, you’ve got some simple tools in your toolkit.

Action Step #4 – Take Massive Action Immediately

Taking massive action is the cure all! Taking massive action is the cure all! Taking massive action is the cure all to achieving your goals, closing the gap between where you find yourself now and where you actually want to be. People who have succeeded at the highest levels, have taken massive action.

Sitting on your couch, thinking and dreaming about the life you want will get you no closer to your goals.

Mindlessly scrolling social media and comparing your life to those influencers or highly success people will get you no closer to your goals.

Making up excuses why you can’t move forward will get you no closer.

Nor will dwelling on your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk.

The ultimate cure for all of these ‘states’ you may find yourself stuck in, is taking action. Getting off the couch, shutting down social media, ditching the excuses and looking for ways to tackle the next step and by flipping the script on your limiting beliefs and shutting down or reframing your sneaky inner voice.

So, if you’re serious about closing the gap, I want you to take action NOW, lock it in your schedule.

Write down 2 action steps that will lead you to your goals. What are they going to be? Get excited, get jazzed about them, get hyped up and ready to move!

What are TWO ACTIONS you can take today to commit and follow through with to kick-start the progress cycle?

Hard truth: unless you have that sense of urgency, you will never succeed. Don’t lose the momentum by putting off taking action until “some day”.
The time is now, it’s time to press “go”.

Remember, it isn’t confidence or motivation that come first or get you started; it’s taking action that actually cultivates momentum so you can reap the benefits of: self-confidence and motivation.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Choose & Conquer Your Own Mount Everest

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset December 23, 2022January 11, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/sgmElhSNvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, I am going to challenge you to choose your ‘Mount Everest’ and conquer it.

I make my husband laugh all the time with my quirky ideas and plans. All the things I have wanted to do during our almost 30 years together would fill several pages.

The problem will my huge, audacious plans was not only the scope but also the fact that I rarely ever followed through with them. So, he would humour me by saying, “Sure, that’s great. Good luck with that.” Well meaning, of course, but knowing I would not likely last more than a few weeks if that.

Having been married so long now, it is not easy to surprise each other with our behaviour. However, I did manage to truly shock him last summer when I told him out of the blue one day that I was going to train for a “Mount Everest Challenge”.

As usual, I was on the couch scrolling Facebook when I stumbled across a post from a local chiropractor. He had helped me recover from a bout of sciatica early that year and I knew from the friendly chats we had during his treatments and the photos lining the walls of his office that he took part in triathlons. I proudly divulged that my husband was an accomplished Ironman, so we had a common topic to discuss at each adjustment.

It was summer of 2021 when Covid was still having a widespread effect on events of any size. So, unfortunately, my chiropractor’s high hopes and plans to participate in his first ever Iron competition were crushed. This led him to organize an event which was open to anyone who felt the need to take on a challenge.
The timing was perfect for me. I needed something to get me moving, a real challenge. The beauty of this rather informal event was that YOU had to devise your own “Mount Everest Challenge”. You had to push yourself to do something – big or small – it didn’t matter. The only criteria was that you felt you had accomplished …

My dream had always been to take part in a triathlon but certain physical injuries were causing aches and pains keeping me sidelined and frustrated with my own body for giving out on me when I wanted to be far more active than I felt I could be. As soon as I saw the post about the “Mount Everest Challenge”, I knew this was my chance to prove to myself – no one else – that I could do it.

So, the training began. I only had two weeks to get myself in shape for the mini triathlon I set my sights on. All the necessary equipment got dusted off even the swim cap my husband had worn in his Ironman race back in 2014. Yes, I keep everything and my hubby thinks I’m a bit of a hoarder.

Very nervous that my body wouldn’t cooperate, I modified my training to suit my physical limitations. On the big day, I planned on starting with a 6.5 km fast hike, followed by a 20 km bike ride and ending with a 1 km swim. Admittedly, I am a rebel and like to do things ‘my way’ but reversing the order just seemed more suitable for my body and in the height of summer, who doesn’t want to finish in the water?

My husband immediately took on the role of my trainer and was stoked to accompany me on this journey. He also acted as my official photographer as I needed to send documented proof of my challenge in order to receive a coveted medal of completion. Was it all about the medal for me? Maybe, a little. But the sheer fact that I could keep up with the daily training and follow through with the plan were the real awards for me personally.

So, the big day arrived. The conditions were spectacular for my mini triathlon. The crew – hubby and Charlotte, our Jack Russel Terrier – were ready to support me. And off we went. Hiking, biking and swimming. What an amazing feeling to have: committed to the challenge, training every day, following through with each aspect I had planned to do and completing it. It was only ME vs. ME.

I was so thrilled with myself to have kept my promise. I proudly posted about it, not to brag about my accomplishment but to encourage and hopefully motivate others to ‘climb their Mount Everest’. The response was amazing and I could tell my people’s comments that deep inside they would like to challenge themselves as well.

This brings me to the actual point of this article. It only took me 700 words to get here 😊

Everyone needs their own personal Mount Everest to climb. We all need big, scary goals to keep our lives interesting. We need to get outside of our far too comfy comfort zone and draw on our immense potential that we all possess.

Too many of us are complacent when it comes to our dreams.

Have you ever said, “One day I will …”

Well, I can assure you that ‘one day’ is not going to be on any calendar. ‘One day’ will never come unless you make it happen.

There’s a quote I stumbled upon the other day that went like this, “Our biggest regrets are not for the things we have done but for the things we haven’t,” by Chad Michael Murray

Many people regret not going after their dreams when they had the chance. We will not be able to turn back the clock. Therefore, we have to create our own opportunities before it’s too late.

So, I encourage you to find your “Mount Everest” and begin to climb it. And let me be clear… it doesn’t have to be physical exertion.
It could be:

·         That book you have always wanted to write,
·         That language you have wanted to learn,
·         That hobby you’ve wanted to take up,
·         The new business you’ve dreamed of starting.

My next Mount Everest Challenge is biking the Tour de France at home in our basement on my stationary bike! Crazy, right? To date, I have put 391 miles out of the entire length of 2200 miles behind me. Every day, I aim to bike a certain distance and I keep track of my progress. Little by little I inch my way along the imagined route. For me, just like it is for the well-trained ultra-athletes each summer who participate in their gruelling race, it is a mental as well as a physical challenge.

The challenge you choose for yourself can be smaller or larger in scope. It should take you outside your comfort zone and challenge you to the extent you choose to be challenged.

Sometimes, the true challenge is addressing/recognizing your limiting beliefs around something you’ve wanted to do but haven’t yet because your mind told you it was impossible.

Brian Tracy stated it so well in a nutshell, “You begin to fly when you let go of self-limiting beliefs and allow your mind and aspirations to rise to greater heights.”
So, are you going to rise?

Limiting beliefs will hold us back from achieving greatness.
Limiting beliefs will keep us small and comfortable in our predictable life.
Limiting beliefs will become the truths we tell ourselves.
Limiting beliefs will not help us reach our fullest potential.
Limiting beliefs will not allow us to rise above the rest.

These beliefs stand in our way and become our truths. Overcoming these self-limiting beliefs and self-imposed limitations is one of the hardest things we, as humans, need to do in order to discover our full potential.

It’s time to confront them head on. It’s time to squash/crush them proving to yourself that you can, indeed, overcome them. It’s your time to rise above what you think you can/can’t do and re-write your story. Your only competition is your mind. It comes down to YOU vs. YOU.

Are you ready to face your fiercest competitor? Namely, your mind.

So, when will your Mount Everest Challenge take place?

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You are the most amazing human and you are capable of achieving great things. I believe in you. Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.
I hope to have inspired you to grow with today’s episode.
Til next time,
Lisa
xoxo

Put Your New Habits to the Test

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset December 23, 2022January 11, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/wtc3zlnNvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are going to take a test, an easy yet impactful test that will help you define and solidify any new habit you want to implement.

We are quickly approaching the end of the year and many of us will start reflecting on what we have accomplished throughout 2022 and start looking ahead to the new year full of possibilities. Setting new goals and intentions is normal, however most people aren’t realistic or make these small promises to themselves on a whim without much thought. I’d like to help you make lasting change by introducing new habits, but ones that will be ‘stickier’ than before. So, stay with me and let’s put our new habits to the test.

If you’ve been following this podcast, you’ll know I talk about habits a fair bit: I did a whole episode on “micro habits” and 5 morning habits worth considering. So, be sure to check them out after this one.

Why am I so obsessed with the topic of habits?

It’s simple. Habits are the super glue holding our everyday life together. Consider of all the daily habits you perform without even thinking about it – brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc. Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits. Whether you are in shape, successful, happy – is the result of your own habits.

Therefore, habits determine the quality of our life. By slowing things down and approaching our behaviour, we learn to develop an awareness of why we do the things we do. As a result, our mindset shifts to support the development of new habits, which in turn brings about meaningful and lasting change.
With my clients, I focus on three levels of change in our coaching sessions: behaviours, beliefs and identity. We work on recognizing self-defeating behaviours as well as patterns and solidifying healthy habits that last.

I think we can all agree that implementing new habits and breaking old habits that are not serving us any longer isn’t always easy.

Just like myself, you may have heard different statistics on how long it actually takes to form a new habit. I thought I would go right to the trusted source, James Clear, well-known author of “Atomic Habits” to get his take on this question. He talks a lot about 21 days, however, he also writes about the data collected by Phillippa Lally, a health psychologist researcher at the University College of London. She tried to figure out exactly how long it takes to form a new habit.
Her findings state, on average, it takes more than 2 months (the magic number sited is 66) for a new behaviour to become ‘automatic’. Since the factors influencing the formation of new habit are wide ranging, such as a person’s behaviour, circumstances, and the individual herself, she concluded that it takes anywhere from 18 – 254 days for people to form a new habit.

Incredible, right?

Since this is Tangible Tuesday, I’d like to walk you through a test called ‘The New Habit Test’. But before we do that, I’d like you to think of one new habit or change you’d like to undertake in your life. Perhaps you’ve been thinking of learning a new skill, flexing your creativity muscles, getting in shape, writing your memoirs, decluttering the house, eating healthier, journalling or meditating, taking piano lessons. The list is literally endless. But no matter what it is, you’ll have to create a new habit around it and find time to dedicate to this new habit.

For this new habit to have sticking power, by that I mean, you will actually implement it, enjoy it and start to get better at it and eventually automate it … it will have to pass the test.

So, first off – Get Real With Yourself. Be completely honest.

Choose one change or new habit you would like to introduce to your everyday life. Just one and let’s use it as our example today.

Clearly define the change you’d like to achieve or define the new habit you’d like to incorporate in your life.

Here are just a few ideas from the most common categories:

Health
·         Start your day with a tall glass of water. …
·         Walk for 10 minutes at a time. …
·         Take a day off to take care of your mental health. …
·         Swap one takeout meal for a homecooked one. …

Wealth
·         Revisit your household budget. …
·         Tackle your debt. …
·         Consider investing in ways that matter to you…
·         Plan and start a side hustle in increase income

Relationships
·         Make more time for your partner in small ways. …
·         Make more attempts to show love in your everyday language through greetings and affectionate words …
·         Notice the positive in your partner and tell them. …
·         Be thoughtful in small ways for a big impact. …

Career
·         Schedule time for your own professional development. …
·         Make time each week to reflect and plan. …
·         Every day, identify your big three. …
·         Identify and limit distractions. …
·         Take regular breaks away from screens. …

Mindfulness
·         Take up meditation
·         Watch what you eat
·         Listen to people when they speak
·         Notice the world around you
·         Turn off your devices more
·         Practice gratitude

Giving back/helping others
·         Join a local charity group
·         Volunteer your time at a food bank
·         Set aside a certain amount for donating each week/month
·         Schedule a declutter of your home each season & donate the goods
·         Research ways of helping out within your community – aim to get involved in one activity

So, the time has come to run your new habit through the test. This test is comprised of 10 questions. First off, I’ll read the 10 questions and then I will repeat them adding in very brief explanations. Trust me that taking action on your new habit right away is paramount for it to take hold and become sticky. The other important ingredient for a successful habit is for it to be part of your day, which means you have to dedicate time for it.

10 Questions to finally change your habits for good

1.       Is there a small action step I can take immediately? No waiting, no hesitation, no putting off until “some day”. Implementation right now is key for this action step.
2.       Am I willing to commit to this action step for an entire month? New habits or life changes require time and commitment, so if you are not willing to see this task through for 30 days now, it likely isn’t important enough to you.
3.       If I do this every day, what change will I see and what will be the result? Remember that small action steps done consistently over time truly add up to larger results.
4.       Does this habit (and result) have major meaning in my life? All new changes you implement must pass this test. This is often referred to as your WHY. If you have a compelling ‘why’, your chances of succeeding are far greater.
5.       Does the pain or not doing it outweigh the fear of doing it? Quite frequently people don’t take action because they’re afraid of failing, not being good enough or possibly embarrassing themselves.
6.       Can I make this a small action step only requiring a few minutes to complete? Unfortunately, many of us use the excuse of not having the time to complete tasks we want to. However, breaking down the action/goal into tiny, doable chunks and seeing these small actions through on a daily basis will provide the necessary momentum.
7.       When will I carve out time? This is key to your success, and it must be on your daily schedule just like brushing your teeth. Whether it is done straight away after waking up, or during midday break, or in the evening, it must be scheduled AND be done around the same time each day.
8.       How can I hold myself accountable? Having a person or means of staying accountable is pivotal during the month. It could be a friend, family member, co-worker that you “report” to. Accountability cultivates the environment for your new habit to grow roots and succeed.
9.       Can I give myself early small successes? There are many ways to reward yourself for sticking to your new daily action steps. I like to have a glass jar sitting in a noticeable place in my home, and each time I complete my action step, I drop a loonie or toonie (Canadian coins) in the jar. Once the time period is over, I buy myself something new. Depending on your tastes, fresh flowers or a new candle, day at the spa, or a relaxing day in nature could all be rewards – whatever makes you happy and excited to do is a perfect reward.
10.   How will I make sure not to forget? Here too, there are multiple ways of reminding yourself: send yourself a daily reminder text, sticky notes on the fridge, computer, bathroom mirror, etc., ask a person close to you for a reminder, alarms on your phone, and the list goes on. Try, if possible and suitable, to do this new habit first thing in the morning so that the chances of your everyday life getting in the way of your success are significantly reduced.

Okay, did your new habit pass the test? If so, then your chances of being successful are good. If not, then you might want to re-evaluate.

Good habits are a dynamic thing. They facilitate change one step at a time, and they help you ensure that these changes become part of your life.

Forming new habits is important as they can play a crucial role in several aspects of your life, including mental as well as physical health, productivity, relationships and self-esteem.

It’s always advantageous to revisit your habits and assess what is serving you and your health well and which ones aren’t. Remember that both your mental health and your physical health depend on these habits.

One final note on habits…

Setting good habits is a powerful way to achieve your goals keeping us focused and organized. Once a good habit is etched in your brain, you’ll be much closer to reaching your goals without even thinking about it.

Today, I challenge you to commit to a new habit for 30 days, carving out the necessary time, making it a non-negotiable item on your everyday to-do list. Get the momentum going now and don’t wait until January 1 to implement it. There will never be an optimal day to begin. The time is now, go after it!

That’s it for today, goal getters.

In case you haven’t heard it from anyone yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are an amazing human with so much potential and greatness. I believe in you. Now, go out and show the world what you are truly made of.

Thanks for tuning in and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa
xoxo