The Power Of Identity-based Habits
Our lives involve setting goals and working towards them. While some goals require less effort and time, others require significant commitment and perseverance.
More often than not there is great resistance to getting the work done. We tend to slack off and then come up with excuses to stop. Now we’re back to wishing things were different.
To have sustainability, we need to build identity-based habits. This will make it easier for us to stay on the path and accomplish our goals.
What Does It Mean To Build Identity-based Habits?
The actions that I take are a direct reflection of who I believe I am - my identity. For example, if I believe that I am someone who writes, I will engage in writing more often.
We engage in habits that are aligned with our particular identity. It is easy for a musician to keep up with music when they believe that they are someone who plays an instrument.
If we have a goal we want to achieve, we must ask ourselves this - who do I have to become in order to achieve this goal?
Goal: Lose weight
Identity: Someone who moves every day
Goal: Be a musician
Identity: Someone who plays the instrument every day
To keep up the momentum and make progress, the small wins are crucial. Set a small target to achieve on a daily basis. If you are someone who moves every day, go from walking 100 steps to 150, 200 and so on.
Celebrate when you reach different milestones. This ensures that you give yourself credit for your efforts and reinforce the identity-based habits.
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