The Top 10 Mistakes in Behaviour Change (and How to Avoid Them) Source: PicJumbo. Learning new behaviours is undoubtedly hard. You have obstacles to overcome, resistance to contend with and an environment to redesign. But behaviour change is a lot harder when you make mistakes: ones that are common, but often overlooked or disregarded because of their simplicity. The problem is, we have a natural tendency to assume blame when our new habits don’t stick. It’s simple: if you can change your strategy, you can change your behaviours. The following are the top 10 mistakes in behaviour change as researched by Professor B.J. Mistake #1: Relying on Willpower for Long-Term Change Like most people, I used to rely on willpower to change my behaviours. But the truth is willpower is a limited mental resource and the more you use it, the more it impairs your self-control. SOLUTION: Pretend willpower isn’t even an option. FURTHER READING: Willpower: How to Overcome Decision Fatigue and Commit to Your Habits. Mistake #2: Attempting Big Steps Instead of Baby Steps Sources
London Lives 1690 to 1800 ~ Crime, Poverty and Social Policy in the Metropolis Twice, Then Quit: How to Train for Resistance to Change One of the most important skills regarding long-term habit formation is learning how to be comfortable with discomfort. If you can master comfort in discomfort, you can master any obstacle you encounter. Discomfort, often in the guise of resistance, is one of the most common causes of procrastination. Procrastination causes us to offset positive habits in favour of immediate gratification and put off changing negative behaviours. Resistance is uncomfortable and often avoided at all costs. It’s a given: If there’s an easier choice, chances are we’re going to choose it. This is why bad habits are hard to break: If there’s a more familiar (and easier) option, we’re going to settle on it (and we can’t be blamed for doing so). However, if resistance is perceived, not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to maximise your willpower and strengthen your resolve, it can often be the difference that makes the difference in long-term behavioural change. Leaping Vs. Twice, Then Quit A Final Caveat
untitled 10 Damaging Lies and Excuses Your Mind Loves to Tell You Email It is ultimately only our own thoughts that hurt us. The mind is a wonderful thing. I’ve had to learn to watch these lies and excuses very carefully in order to make the positive changes I’ve made in my life: a healthier diet, regular exercise, meditation, more sleep, daily writing, better planning, less procrastination, more focus, etc. If I hadn’t learned about these lies and excuses, and how to suppress them, I would never have succeeded in making these positive changes. So why does the mind lie to us and make irrational excuses? Because the mind wants comfort – that’s why. So let’s expose 10 of the cowardly mind’s most damaging lies and excuses once and for all: Reminder: Have you checked out our book? I can’t do it. – It seems too difficult at first, so you think you can’t stick to the positive change you’re making. Your turn… What kinds of damaging lies and excuses sometimes echo in the back of your mind? Photo by: Tilly
Understanding Camera Metering Understanding how your camera meters light is like unlocking the secret language of photography wizardy. Read on to learn more about how getting back to the basics can greatly improve your photos. Photographer Ming Thein shares a great overview of camera metering, introducing it with: One of the more important – yet almost always overlooked – aspects of camera operation is metering. Simply put, the meter determines what your final exposure is, and how bright or dark your image looks relative to the scene. Unless you are shooting manual – and even then – the camera’s exposure is determined by the meter. Hit up the link below to read the entire article. Understanding Metering, Part One: Introduction Jason Fitzpatrick is warranty-voiding DIYer and all around geek.
15 Things Stopping You from Moving Forward In a culture that seeks quick results, we must learn the beauty of effort, patience, and perseverance. Be strong, present, and steadfast. Have you ever told yourself that you’re going to make something happen and then nothing happened? That’s because you didn’t follow-through. You didn’t have the right rituals in place – little things you do each day that build up and gradually condition your body and mind to make things happen. Rituals define you. If you’re out of shape and overweight, you have different rituals than someone who’s physically fit. This may be a bit of a generalization, but it’s not far from the truth for the average able-bodied person. In all walks of life, you don’t suddenly become successful. Failure occurs in the same way. You fail to check the books.You fail to make the call.You fail to listen to your customers.You fail to innovate.You fail to push yourself to do what must be done.etc. And then one day you wake up and your business has failed. Closing Exercise
Snowy Owls, Snowy Owl Pictures, Snowy Owl Facts The ghostlike snowy owl has unmistakable white plumage that echoes its Arctic origins. These large owls breed on the Arctic tundra, where females lay a clutch of 3 to 11 eggs. Clutch size depends upon the availability of food, and in particularly lean times a usually monogamous pair of owls may not breed at all. Parents are territorial and will defend their nests against all comers—even wolves. Young owls, especially males, get whiter as they get older. The snowy owl is a patient hunter that perches and waits to identify its prey before soaring off in pursuit. A snowy owl's preferred meal is lemmings—many lemmings. These magnificent owls sometimes remain year-round in their northern breeding grounds, but they are frequent migrants to Canada, the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.
Finding the Motivation to Change Your Entire Life By Leo Babauta Almost exactly 8 years ago today, I ran my first marathon and soon after I started Zen Habits. I’d changed a dozen or so habits, lost weight, was getting out of debt, quit smoking. And almost 7 years ago, I quit my job. That was a period of intense and profoundly scary life changes for me, but they were all of my choosing. I decided to make them happen, and I pushed until they did. Today I’d like to share a few things that worked for me, in case you’re considering changing your life. Someday is today. Let’s look at how you find that motivation to finally start changing — and then to keep going when the changes inevitably get tough. What Gets in the Way None of these are insurmountable, but they can often cause us to put off major changes. We all have these fears and reasons for not taking action. They’re all bullshit. Yes, the fear of failure and change and discomfort and uncertainty are real … but they’re not good enough reasons for inaction. The Make It Happen Actions