Shrink Your Habit Menu

The vast diner menus are how most people attempt to change habits, whether it’s losing weight or shifting their priorities.

July 29, 2020

Have you ever been to a diner in New Jersey? They have extensive menus, the food is home-cooked and there are fresh-baked goods as well — making them popular alternatives for folks who don’t want to indulge in fast food. If you want a burger done 15 different ways, the diner will accommodate. If you want Italian food or Polish sausage or any ethnic cuisine, the diner has it. But because it offers everything, it’s often hard to find a great meal there.

The vast diner menus are how most people attempt to change habits, whether it’s losing weight or shifting their priorities. They begin with a grandiose plan, wanting to achieve everything in one day. As Coach Bill Belichick tells the Patriots, “There is no magic pill to take to lose weight or to get into great shape.” It takes constant effort every day. One day after another doing the same thing over and over again. It’s about making one small change, taking one small step toward a daily goal, then after 30 or more days of doing the same, progress will become noticeable.

This is how all productive habits begin. They don’t start with an extensive list of items to accomplish. Rather, there’s one small adjustment in behavior. Once one small step becomes part of your daily life, one habit takes shape. Add another and before long, everything looks different.

Here are 5 easy steps to make a small adjustment to create positive habits.

  1. Start a daily journal entry. Commit to writing down your small goal and record your thoughts for 30 straight days. Let the words flow organically.

  2. Every Sunday, remind yourself of the small habit you are changing and re-enforce the promise you made to yourself. Make sure you are always aware of the direction you’re heading.

  3. Form a trigger in your mind. A trigger is a time and place that reminds you of when you felt in control of your life. If you want to lose weight, then remember a time where you were happy you were thin. That “remember when” trigger will put you in the right frame of mind to continue your journey.

  4. Visualize yourself performing the bad habit. Next, visualize yourself pushing aside the bad habit and performing some alternative. Visualize positive thoughts.

  5. Nothing is more important in your day than being consistent. Be diligent with your willingness to be consistent. You cannot break the chain of days. You must continue the streak.

The most critical aspect of changing habits is to reduce the amount of change that needs to occur. You want to build your habit-changing menu slowly and successfully, one day at a time.

Our friends at Modern Mentor can help you better navigate your work/life balance. Rachel Cooke is an organizational leadership specialist dedicated to helping you find your path to success—however you define it.

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