Change is hard...
We knew that before, but we really got to know change over the last two months.
For most of us, we were forced to change.
However, although a lot of the changes we had to make were not ideal for us, it did create some silver linings.
A lot of clients I’ve talked to throughout this pandemic have talked to me about personal changes they want to finally make.
Whether that means physical changes they’re finally ready to commit to, vocational changes, or just personal habits.
Maybe they’ve had time to reflect more throughout all of this…
Even when we talk about getting 1% better, that still means changing from where you currently are to get a a little bit better.
All of these conversations made me think of the three steps we must take as we tackle change.
1. Raise Your Standards
You first have to change what you demand about yourself. You have to have a list of things you no longer accept in life. Write down all things you no longer tolerate.
When Rosa Parks refused to move her seat on the bus, she raised her standards. She no longer accepted the norm. That was the tipping point to the massive change.
Every single change starts with raising your standards.
2. Change Your Limiting Beliefs
If you raise your standards, but don't really believe you can meet them, then you already put the nail in the coffin.
Our beliefs are what tell us how things are, what's possible, and what's impossible.
They shape every action we make.
You can raise your standards as high as you want, but if you don't take control of your belief system, nothing will change.
Let's look at an example.
You can look in the mirror and say " I want to lose weight. I'm no longer going to accept being in the shape I'm in."
But...
If you don't, deep down, believe what you're telling yourself, nothing will ever change.
Empowering beliefs, this sense of certainty, is the force behind any great success.
3. Change Your Strategy
If you set a higher standard, and you get yourself to truly believe it, figuring out strategies is the easy part.
One of my favorite quotes comes from my mentor, Heath, who probably got it from somebody famous. He always tells me...
"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got."
Basically saying, if you keep doing the same stuff, you'll keep getting the same results.
If you want to change, you have to change your strategy.
For fitness, this could be a change in your nutrition, a change in your sleep, a change in your exercise frequency, or a change in how you manage stress.
In life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know.
That's where coaches come in.
The reason why our clients love having a coach is not for the new stuff we teach them.
Sure, here and there, we throw some new nuggets at them.
But 99% of the time, it's making sure they’re staying accountable and doing what they already know they should be doing.
So there're the 3 steps to change.
Simple?
Yes.
Easy?
No.
Whether you're looking to change things physically, financially, emotionally, or any other change, every change must go through these 3 steps.