Learn to Change: How to adopt new habits (and Stop Old ones)

Do you know how to drive?, ride a bike?, or use a computer? do u struggle when doing any of these activities?, Now do you remember how you learned to do these activities?, let me refresh your memory, (let’s use driving as an example)

You began by holding the wheel, and learning what each paddle did, everything was confusing and uncomfortable, but you had no choice, you had to try and drive because you needed to learn. So, you tried, tried, and kept on trying till you eventually learned to drive.

In the first few days of driving, you had to make an effort to just focus, you held the wheel with both hands, and really paid full attention to every sign on the road. But as time went on, you relaxed, and it became easier, and before you knew it, driving became natural to you.

In weight loss, you would have to go through a very similar pattern. In the beginning, the activities needed to achieve and maintain the FLM (fat loss mode) would feel confusing and uncomfortable to you. But after sometime, you will get more comfortable, and before you know it, it would become natural.

So, the key to handling change is: Knowledge AND Persistence 

The first thing u need to do to make simplify change is to learn as much as u can about it. The pros & cons, the goods & bads, and most importantly, the easiest way to actually do that change. For example, if u knew u needed to do Circuit Training for weight loss, then u need to learn as much as u can about CT, what it is, best ways to perform it, etc.

But no matter how knowledgeable you are, there will be some initial discomfort. No matter how many books you’ve read about CT, you still have to go through that awkwardness and discomfort when you try it for the first time, knowledge will only minimize it, but not eliminate it. 

That’s where you'll need Persistence. You gonna need it to fight that initial discomfort and keep going, you will need to make an effort just to keep going. At the same time, your knowledge, which you gained beforehand, would come in very handy.

Over time, the combination of knowledge and your experience will make it a lot easier for you, and before you know it, it will become part of your life. At which point, you would know that you have succeeded in making that change.  

What does “making an effort” mean?

This could be anything that helps you overcome that initial discomfort. You could use a reminder, or ask a friend or a spouse to remind you, or do anything else. For me, I used what I call the Action Table. It is a very simple, yet very effective tool. Here is how it works ...

 

As you can see from the figure, the table is really simple. Now, let’s say I am required to do Walking for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week (rest on the weekends), so here is how I use the table.

I would hang the table on my wall, with the title “Walking” at the top of the table, then I would use it mark my performance for the week. I would put a tick (or a yes) for the days which I successfully do my walking, and I would put an X (or a no) for the days I don’t.

So, let’s say on my first week, I managed only 3 days out of 5, or a score of 3/5. Then, by the weekend, I would sit down and analyze. I would ask myself: "Why did i fail on two days?, what did i do wrong?"

I would try to recall everyday and try to identify the reasons for my failure. Then on the following week, I would try to eliminate these reasons and make it a target to do better than 3/5. So, the following week, I try again, this time armed with the experience, I try my best to better than last week.

This simple technique always worked for me. U can use the Action Table to help u make the effort and make yourself perform that activity and complete that change. 

So, here u have it, making a change is not so tough after all.

So, let's Summarize 
To make any change simple, first u need to learn as much as u can about it, get as familiar as u can with it. Then, Just do it, it would be awkward in the beginning, but be persistent. Make an effort, use any tool u have to help, use that knowledge u gained earlier, and soon enough, it will become part of ur life.


Now ... how does all that play with our "Operation Re-Burn" ... well, when i introduce a new activity/habit for u to adopt ... i will share with u all the knowledge i have about it ... i will also direct u to places where u can do further reading ... then, when the time is right ... ur part begins .. this where u need to actually Make the change, and this is where "persistence" would be needed .... see u in the next Post