Tracy believes we all have the potential and ability to accomplish extraordinary things. We just need to act on that potential, know how to get started and remain consistent in order to be successful for a lifetime. In order to do this, he provides us with 15 habits we need to adopt in order to change our lives and be successful no matter what our goal may be. This includes weight loss.
Habit #1 – Create a Consistent Positive Mindset
Every action, every step we take, begins with a thought. If those thoughts are positive, they will lead to positive emotions, which lead to positive behaviors. It only makes sense that having a negative outlook will negatively affect your results. Why would we expect to achieve a goal when we approach it with a negative mindset about that goal and our ability to accomplish it?
Habit #2 – Create SMART Goals
Smart goals are more likely to be realized because they are realistic. Smart is an acronym. S stands for Specific. You need to create a clear, concise statement that defines exactly what you want to achieve. M stands for Measurable. You have to assign a number to your goal or some way to measure it, so you can track your progress. A stands for Achievable. You want to make sure your goal is challenging, but also achievable in order to remain encouraged. R stands for Relevant. Align your goals with what makes you feel happy and accomplished. T stands for Time Bound. You need to set a time frame to reach your goal and to set small milestones along the way to keep you focused and encouraged.
Habit #3 – Eat a Frog
Your frog is your most challenging and least desirable task that you have to achieve every day. Eating that frog early in the day or week reinforces that you can overcome obstacles early on. It prevents procrastination so that you have more time to achieve the goal you really want to focus on.
Habit #4 – Prioritize Your Physical Health
Tracy makes the point that with our crazy schedules and never-ending to-do lists, we find it hard to make physical health a priority. However, he also states that when you are more physically fit and healthy, you feel better about yourself and think more positively overall.
Habit #5 – Believe in Yourself and Your Abilities
Greater self-confidence motivates us and gives us the courage needed to accomplish our goals. However, believing in yourself doesn’t come naturally for most people. Tracy suggests making a list of all your positive attributes to combat this. The bottom line is that, in order to achieve our goals, we have to believe that we have the ability to do so.
Habit #6 – Have Fun
Life can be stressful, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Tracy encourages us to find some little ray of fun in every day, like seeing humor in a stressful situation and laughing to defuse its tension. Set aside a little time for a hobby you love, watch a funny video, or read something uplifting.
Habit #7 – Talk to Others
Talking to others, bouncing ideas off them and getting feedback from those we trust and respect can be very helpful when building our foundations to be successful. Everyone can have an opinion on how you’re conducting yourself, but the only ones that matter are from those who have your best interests at heart.
Habit #8 – Take a Break
Tracy suggests that if you keep chasing goals without ever taking a rest, burnout can happen fast. Periodic breaks can have a positive impact on your progress toward your goals. It can be beneficial to step away from your goals for a break in your day or your week in order to reset and recharge.
Habit #9 – Always Be Learning
Try learning one new thing in your personal or professional life every day, or at least several times a week. When you learn you grow, so prioritize learning as much as you can on a daily basis. When you are always learning, you improve your quality of life and are exposed to more opportunities that lead to fulfillment.
Habit #10 – Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Every person and every goal is different. Even if everyone is headed in the same direction, you still have different life circumstances. If you want to remain positive about your life and your choices, comparing yourself to others will never help you feel motivated.
Habit #11 – Push Yourself
You have to remember why you’re doing what you’re doing when the going gets tough, and reflect on how it will change your life and the lives of those around you. If you want different results than the ones you are currently experiencing, you may need to push yourself to do things differently.
Habit #12 – Stay Consistent
We’re all guilty of starting many things we never finish. To be successful, we need to learn how to stay consistent and keep showing up for ourselves day after day – even on tough days. Tracy states that one of the best ways to stay consistent is to outline your plan for tomorrow the night before.
Habit #13 – Be Prepared
Sometimes life doesn’t cooperate with us no matter how consistent we are. Tracy recommends thinking about what could happen if things go off the rails. Decide ahead of time how you will react and what your action plan will be.
Habit #14 – Stop Looking for Shortcuts
We say it often – there is no such thing as a silver bullet. To achieve success, you have to do it the old-fashioned way, which takes time, patience, and consistency. Our goal is to get the best out of ourselves under most conditions and circumstances in life. This creates an ability to adapt and change with our circumstances.
Habit #15 – Change Our Definition of Success
Success, happiness and fulfillment are all feelings that can change over time, according to Tracy. You will be automatically directed and driven towards repeating that success in other things you attempt. In other words, you learn to succeed by succeeding. The more you achieve, the more you can achieve. Success builds confidence, self-discipline and the belief that you will be successful the next time.
Every one of these 15 Habits are important. Hopefully you have identified ones you feel you can benefit from the most and can implement immediately. Put them into play and create a habit that is automatic – then you can pick up another one to add in. It’s very proactive.