Are you tired of trying to CHANGE, but not getting RESULTS?

We’ve all been there. You decide you want to see change in an area of your life, maybe you want to lose weight or eat better. Maybe you want to balance out your work and home life a little better. Maybe you want to run a marathon or save X amount of money.?

So you have your goal, and you begin to do the preparation for this change. You begin the setup necessary for achieving your goal; you buy the workout gear, you open a savings account, you do an audit of your time management or your diet.?

Maybe you even take the first step towards your goal and join the gym, or buy the nutrition plan, or put $100 into that new savings account. You’re feeling pretty good! But then you motivation wanes and life distracts us.

We miss the gym, we throw the diet out the window, we use the savings for that new pair of shoes on sale. We fall off the wagon and fail to make that initial change, lasting change.

Why is this a common story for most of us? Why is change so hard to achieve? Well, the stats are in, and they don’t look good.?

In organisational change, a study by the Harvard Business Review reported that out of every corporate change project, 60-70% fail.?

In the personal change realm, the stats are even more disheartening.?

Only 8% of people, who enthusiastically set themselves up for a new year's resolution, will see that positive change through to the end of the year.

But there is hope!?

Change is possible. You don’t have to be just another statistic, frustrated and stuck in a perpetual cycle of trying and failing to create lasting personal change.

The key to changing your life, is changing your mind.?

‘The only way to experience lasting transformation is through a constant renewing of the mind.’ - Dr Robi Sonderegger?

That is, your values, beliefs and identity MUST integrate and shift with the desired incoming change. After decades of walking people through the psychology of change, Dr Robi is certain that if you can determine your “what”, “why”, and “when”, the “how” will take care of itself.?

Here are the 8 steps that you can take to create lasting personal change:

(Grab a pen and paper. Even better, grab someone to discuss this with.)

1.IDENTIFY your internal readiness for change:

This is where you need to be honest with yourself as to what stage you are in, and how badly you want that change.

There are 5 Different Stages of Readiness for Change:

1. Precontemplation (ie. not even thinking about change, making excuses or thinking others need to change)
2. Contemplation (‘maybe just maybe It might be a good thing to do something about XYZ, but I haven’t made that internal decision’)
3. Preparation (you’ve bought the gym gear, you’ve opened the savings account, but no action has been taken)?
4. Implementing (the change has begun! You’ve done your first morning run. You’ve scheduled a day off work for self-care)
5. Maintaining (you haven’t just started to change, you’re being consistent and starting to see results)?

2. WHAT: Identify the change you want to make and write it down.

• Start by identifying the specific change you want to make.?
• Ask yourself what is it that I want to achieve? And then ensure that it is outcome-based only (devoid of philosophy or strategy).

For example the starting statement might be: I want to lose 12 kilos…

Choose one change, in just one area of your life. If you’re looking for more of a complete transformation remember, just one change can (and no doubt will) create a domino effect in other areas.?

WHAT is the one thing that, if changed, would change your life??

3. WHY: Write down 5 motivations of why you want it.?

Note how many are what’s called ‘positive’ motivations, and how many are ‘negative’ motivations.

Negative motivations are statements like, ‘I want to lose weight because I don’t feel good’. Negative motivations can get us to the starting line because they have us thinking ‘we simply can’t have this anymore’, but negative motivations don’t get us closer to a finish line, or help us play the long game.?

Positive motivation is grounded desires like, ‘I’d love to be able to play with my grandkids’ or ‘I want to fit into my wedding dress’.??

The ‘why’ is the fuel to our engine.?

The statement will now be defined as: I want to lose 12 kilos… Because I want to be able to fit into my wedding dress and I want to be able to play with my grandkids.

4. WHEN: Set realistic ‘SMART’ goals:?

Once you have identified the change you want to make, set realistic and specific goals that will help you achieve that larger transformation.?

Follow the SMART goal-setting framework:?

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic?
• Timebound?

The statement has now become, ‘I want to lose 12 kilos because I want to be able to play with my grandkids and I will achieve this by December 1st, 2023’.??

To ensure realistic and sustainable change, you may need to first enlist research (using a range of professional sources), or better the advice or help of a consummate professional in this area.

5. VISION: Write the vision and make it plain:

It’s time to use your imagination to create a multi-sensory visualisation.?

Taking an internal selfie of you, when you’ve achieved your goal what can you see in that picture? Now, what can you hear, taste, smell, touch, and feel inside? Are you alone, or with others, and how are they in this scene?

Why is imagination and visualisation so important in creating lasting personal change?

The power of vision is undeniable. Seeing the result makes the change sustainable. Keeping our eye on that visualisation will ensure we don’t self sabotage, lose our why and return to apathy.

6. REFLECT and ADJUST: Try, fail, reflect, adjust is your new mantra.?

Reflect on your progress regularly, reflect on your why, and adjust your how as needed to optimise results. Adjustment does not mean failure - you might be tempted to take on a negative mindset in these moments and think ‘it’s not possible’, ‘it’s too hard’, ‘this isn’t sustainable’. If you start with a baseline, and a way to measure change, you’ll begin to see what actions take you closer to that goal.

From here, you might have to reevaluate the length of time you need, or the intensity you go at. If something isn't working, try a different approach but stay committed to a deeper why, and keep stepping out of your comfort zone.?

7. STAY accountable: Enlist the help of 3-5 people who will actively keep you accountable to change you have decided to make. There’s a famous saying in business ‘culture eats strategy for lunch’ - make sure you are surrounded by the right people.

8. EVALUATE and CELEBRATE: To measure the growth, there needs to be a measurable testimony! At 100x.com.au/warrior there is a free digital assessment that will provide you with a pdf report on your strengths baseline. Take the Free Warrior Assessment and then retake it when you have maintained your desired change, to compare and contrast your progress.??

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” - Romans 12:2

Now, here’s the catalyst…?

Once you're inspired, you have to perspire! It's time to stop overthinking and the endless strategizing and just get into ‘go’ mode.?

Try, fail, reflect, adjust!

Ready, steady, go!