Greetings! I hope this blogpost finds you becoming increasingly self-aware. In other words, I hope you are improving your “You IQ!”
Our last blogpost touched on the fact that change is difficult because our subconscious mind really enjoys the status quo. Settling into habit is where our subconscious thrives. It’s known. It’s safe. It’s the same.
I encouraged you to look deep at the “whys” behind areas of your life that are not effective. What did you find? Did you do the exercise? Or, did you find several reasons not to?
One area where I am often ineffective is finances. When it is time to analyze costs for my business, I always find something else to do. I get a snack, or I realize it’s the perfect time to exercise, or I decide another area of my business needs attention.
Yes, the subconscious mind is that cunning. It will convince you that there are always other things more important than the one thing you should be doing. Why? Because avoiding something is a habit! Doing something easier or more enjoyable is a habit!
That is where persistence and grit come into play. Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich mentions that “persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” In other words, on your way to achieving your goals, persistence is absolutely required.
Do your goals require a change in your habits? Then persistence will definitely be required!
Persistence is a key piece to the grit puzzle as spelled out by Angela Duckworth in her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. She states, “Grit is sticking with your future, day in and day out. Not just for the week, not just for the month but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality.”
When you want to change your habits, it will require you to bump up against the automatic “no” that is your subconscious mind’s response. As you push back against that answer, your subconscious mind fights back with greater intensity, sometimes causing significant mental and even physical responses.
In fact, the responses can be so overwhelming that Dr. Thurman Fleet, the creator of Concept Therapy, calls this the terror barrier. Moving past it takes great persistence and no small amount of faith. Perhaps that is why so many psychological models of addition account for relapses as part of the natural process.
My next blog will consider the different stages of the change process according to Dr. Fleet’s theory, while we dive into the Four Agreements.
For now, keep your focus on the area of change you desire. Do the little things needed to draw that desire closer to fruition. As for me, I am going to make the commitment to begin looking at my costs more often. 🙂
Cheers,
Chuck, AKA Padre