We are all creatures of habit, for better or for worse. Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit reaches organizations and societies with a new way of thinking about habits. The purpose of his book is to answer "Why we do what we do in life and business?" I often try to get my Fully Integrated Team members to think on this question. If nearly half of our daily decisions are outcomes of a habit pattern, this question matters!
Duhigg breaks down the DNA of what he calls a "habit loop": the cue, the behavior, and the reward. He uses an example from his own life of going upstairs after his lunch break every afternoon and eating a chocolate chip cookie from the cafeteria. This habit intrigued him enough to investigate. He thought, Am I hungry? Am I bored? Or is there a different reward I am seeking?
It is a sad reality that most ot the health problems we experience as Americans are attributable to lifestyle modifiable factors. This means that we are in control of and provided with endless opportunities to change our own lives for the better, but don't.
As a FIT leader and coach, I help people turn from toxic habits or work environments undermining their success to form a mutally reinforcing Fully Integrated Team focused on winning results.
A primary FIT principle to understand is that people want and need to be in control of their own lives. Following other people's life patterns or "painting-by-the-numbers" as I like to call it creates unsatisfied individuals, living up to someone else's definition of success. People often chase after money as a symbol of what they think is happiness and are crushed when they find it doesn't deliver what they want.
Changing direction or finding your sense of purpose as a FIT individual is the first step to creating better habits out of the old ones. A moment of crisis like a job loss, a change in marital status, or a company merger is often a prime opportunity to take a good hard look at who you are now and to move toward who you want to become. Matthew Kelly calls this "becoming the best version of yourself."
Lastly, immersing yourself in a culture or organization that is committed to your success is invauable. Change will stick more readily, toxic environments will be abandoned and success-shaping habits will be reinforced by productive peers. Duhigg emphasises how teams or communities are the best kind of catalysts for change within the individual.
I first introduced FIT to a classroom of graduate students many years ago and watched the positive changes ignite in my students' lives and professional situations. That's how I know it works! The decision to change ultimately rests with you. Are you ready to take control and gain an entirely new perspective on your current situation? Are you ready to step into the driver's seat and start winning over the power of bad habits wrecking your future dreams?
Get FIT with me and my team and we'll show you how. Start small by subscribing to weekly blog posts delivered straight to your inbox! What habits or toxic environments in your life need shaping up now? Leave a comment below to start the discussion!
