Reflections on Creating Great Habits

Every week at Poe Group Advisors we have a Monday morning call to get the team ready for the week.

One of the highlights on the call is everyone’s “3 Crucial Results”.  These are the 3 things that each person commits to getting done that week.  After doing this for some time we have learned how to set our goals, making sure someone else isn’t responsible for some part of it.  It must come from our own actions and needs to be measurable in some way.  Some of the goals are personal and some are work related.  What has come from this exercise is that I think we have all started to create some really positive, great habits.  Things that once were weekly goals now are things we have started to do automatically.  This got me to thinking about how we create habits and how to make them stick.

Start with small, achievable goals

This doesn’t mean I get to choose things that are too easy.  It means that I might need to break up a big project into smaller parts.  If you want to start exercising, try 5 minutes a day.  Sounds silly but you might create some momentum and find the time and energy to do even more.  Grow the habits each day, week or month.

Celebrate Successes

On our weekly call we not only declare our 3 crucial results for the coming week, we have to report back on how we did the prior week.  And I know I am going to get asked EVERY SINGLE WEEK so I better be ready.  But the cool part is that the team is there to celebrate with me when I achieve my goals, and encourage me when I fall short.  We have been known to have fun contests with each other and offer great ideas when someone has some previous experience or insight.   This can make an especially ambitious goal a little easier to plow through.

Find Supporters

Don’t try and do it alone.  Find people who can do it with you or have done it before.  You can find a support system to get you through writer’s block or drive you to the gym.  And it’s always more fun to do things with a friend.

Build in some accountability

This one is especially important for me.  I am a people pleaser and I don’t want to disappoint.  I tell someone what habit I want to start and then ask them to help me keep track of my progress.  I work out in the mornings with some friends.  The real reason I seem to make it most mornings is that I don’t want them getting up early for nothing if I no-show.  I always feel better after I leave, but guilt is the reason I go!

I have committed to writing every 2 weeks.  Will you hold me accountable and celebrate with me??