I always hated how all these books tell you that all you have to do to create a good habit is to do some action for 20, 25, 30 days straight. Whatever that number is. So many people teach this, it’s so pervasive its just accepted as a fact. I don’t know about you, but I’ve tried it countless times and it doesn’t work. Maybe it works for somebody out there, but I haven’t met that person yet.
Most good sales habits take a lot of discipline, right. I mean calling on prospects, doing paperwork, daily marketing activities these are good habits to have. I know, I’m more successful when I have good habits.
So what’s the secret to creating a habit.
The secret lies in the unconscious mind. That part of your mind that runs all the programs you go through everyday. That part that tells you when X happens then do Y.
If you want something to become a pattern for the unconscious mind one side of the equation is repetition. But repetition alone will not create a habit. You have to do one more step. You see the unconscious mind is like a 5 year old child. You have to be very clear with how you instruct it. Either you train yourself with good habits or with negative habits. It all comes down to rewards.
What behaviors are you rewarding yourself for?
Now your thinking to yourself, “So how did I create all these bad habits? I don’t get any reward for these bad habits. All they do is cause me pain and frustration!”
Let me give you an example from my life. In the past, I’d go to work in the morning, sit down at my desk and immediately open up my email. Of course there was some business stuff in there but there was also a bunch of great jokes from my buddies. Whenever, I read a good joke I would immediately float around the office telling the joke… Yeah, I’d eventually get around to calling my prospects and trying to make a sale but I never got as much work done as I felt I should.
At the end of the day Napoleon (short guy with an attitude)… otherwise known as my boss, would come up to me and ask: “So what do you have for me today?” I immediately replied, I had a great joke for him. Somehow this wasn’t what he was looking for. So I’d get chewed out, and rightfully so. And what do you think my reaction would be when I got home? Well it was a bad day so I’m going pork out on pizza and ice cream to cheer me up.
Do you see how I was training my unconscious mind? I had a stimulus, getting yelled at again by the boss. I had a response, feeling bad. And then I rewarded myself by indulging in pizza and ice cream.
My unconscious mind is sees this and says: “OK, I get it. I don’t do any work, get yelled at and then rewarded for it.” Instant bad habit formed.
Say you had a dog that wet the carpet, so you yelled at him, and then gave him a cookie. You know that dog is going to keep wetting the carpet. And that is exactly what my unconscious mind kept doing to me.
It wasn’t until I started rewarding myself for my good habits, that I started having good habits. How’d I do it? I started out small. I gave myself a little sticker every time I completed a task (I know it sounds corny but I like little smiley stickers). And, I rewarded myself for having called prospects whether I sold them or not. I especially made sure not to reward myself when I did something negative. These couple of steps radically changed my habits lightning fast.
So the secret to forming a habit, hopefully now a good one, is to do a positive action, then reward yourself. Try giving yourself a sticker every time you cross something off your to do list : -) . Anything will work. Even something small. With repetition and reward you’ll form a habit.
So what’s worked for you to change your habits. I’d love to know.
Give me your comments.
Popularity: 7%