Can we Inoculate Ourselves Against Intention/Goal-Failure?

So many of us have the mindset that change is hard. Sometimes It takes willpower and grit to make changes but there are tools and knowledge that can make the change process easier and less stressful.

As I shared in one of my blog posts, I experienced an epiphany that changed a life long story I had about myself. By rewriting my story and using my Strengths Intelligence I have been able to implement many changes with relative ease since December. I invite you to take time to reflect on the stories you tell yourself. These stories may be creating competing commitments that are hindering you from experiencing more success in meeting your goals.

Most of us think it is just a matter of willpower, but we truly underestimate the powerful magnet of our habits. Click To Tweet

In a previous post I introduced the idea of competing commitments and how they can interfere with accomplishing goals and making the desired changes. Since many of my coaching clients come to me with resolutions to work on and ready to make changes in their lives, it is important to understand why change is so hard.

For example, many of us have set New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and go to the gym. We may do fine for the first month, but, by week 5 we start to revert back to habitual status quo. As much as we think we want to lose weight and get fit, we are also drawn to the comfort of our habits with family and friends, and enjoying life.

Voilà! Competing commitments in action! It is human nature to seek equilibrium and balance through practiced habits and routines. When we try to change these routines, we are unprepared to face the powerful magnet of our habits.

Yet, when we are aware of the strength of the force of habits, we can make conscious choices using our strengths to inoculate ourselves. We can push back by being conscious and intentional about our daily choices. By acknowledging that competing commitments exist, we can make a conscious decision about what is needed to maintain new goals and change old habits and routines.

Most of us think it is just a matter of willpower, but we truly underestimate the powerful force that pulls us back to old habits. Knowing how to use our strengths can benefit us in making sustainable change. The mind has ironclad excuse systems that run in the background, most of us can justify just about anything. This mechanism is designed to reduce anxiety and protect us from worry. Unfortunately, setting us up for failure, these excuses are often based on false assumptions and are not needed in situations we want to change.

Consider the following examples:

What would your chart look like if you were to fill this out with your goals? Can you identify your competing commitments? I would love for you to try this, and let me know your thoughts. Leave a comment here, contact me or connect with me on LinkedIn.