This article was originally published in The Simplifer #60.
Article: 5 Little Steps for a Big Change
By Shawn Tuttle
“I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal…’
I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.”
Martin Luther King
Address at March on Washington
August 28, 1963 - Washington, D.C.
Over 40 years ago, the US Government passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. To realize the vision of equal rights for all citizens through this act meant developing a plan which not only laid out what should happen, but also how to enforce it—knowing it would be met with resistance. Over time, there has been success and acceptance of the vision the act represented. And that act achieved its goal, more or less, in the jurisdiction it had control over—buses, water fountains, public restrooms, job hiring practices, and schooling.
The vision is enormous in scope—considering the deep, subtle reach of discrimination in our history—and not complete. It transcends race, economics, religion, and every other controversial subject we argue over. The Civil Rights Act was an important step toward the vision, but a lot of other efforts were and will be necessary to bring it to 100% fruition.
Change is tough; it takes work to reprogram entrenched habits. On a societal level, it took 40 years to go from relegating blacks to the back of the bus to seriously considering the campaign of a black man for president of the U.S.. Was it easy? No. Is it complete? No. Was significant progress made? Yes.
Compare this to making significant change on a personal level. Seems like it should be easier to move a single person than an entire society, right? But at the individual level, the change must happen personally—we can’t point our fingers at another person and say, “You need to change.” Whether societal or individual, change requires similar steps to move from one state of being to another.
Most people recognize that their life would improve if only they’d stop _____ (fill in the blank). Because it can be so difficult to change your long-time behaviors, understanding which part of the process to focus on will help you realize the change you want to see in your life. There’s even more benefit to your positive change, because you are not the only one affected. Improving your life brings you a little more happiness, and your happiness directly affects everyone you come into contact with.
Before continuing, take a moment to think of a big change you’ve wanted to make but are only getting grinding gears when you try. It could be to stop procrastinating, or to be on time for appointments, or to refrain from buying on impulse. Whatever yours is, let it provide the backdrop for the following ideas.
Steps for change
- Envision - see the image of yourself once the change has been made
- Plan - determine how you will deal in different situations
- Put into practice - put in your schedule, apply during your day
- Enforce - set up accountability with a coach, friend, or colleague, i.e. someone you won’t want to let down.
- Persevere - be aware of your efforts and push yourself when wavering
Let’s see how this might play out with an example involving procrastination:
Envision
Root your vision as a non-procrastinator deeply by imagining yourself getting your projects done on time. Whether the deadlines are imposed by yourself or others, see and feel yourself being timely. You may want to recall the feeling of a time in the past when you’ve completed a project as desired.
Example: Every two weeks I publish an article for the newsletter. Recognizing that completing the article has been farther and father back toward deadline day, this is how I’m applying steps for change in my own life. I’ll see myself completing my article the Friday before it’s due. I’ll feel the pleasant, light sensation of a big project successfully wiped off my plate. I’ll connect with the energizing feeling of being “on the ball!”
Plan
Knowing your habits means you can pinpoint situations in which procrastination exerts its magnetic pull. Choose one and sketch out a plan that would nip it in the bud. Break down your plan into smaller pieces to give yourself little toeholds as you climb the mountain. If you respond well to a reward system, then give yourself a little reward when you keep commitments with yourself.
Example: It takes about 10 hours to write an article, so I’ll break that up into one and two hour chunks leading up to that Friday. I’ll also include an additional 2 hours for make-up time or in case it takes longer than expected. I’ll break down the process into the following steps: research, brainstorm, outline, write first draft, discuss with editor, write second draft, complete with editor.
Put into Practice
There are some things that get done whether or not they are posted in the schedule: eating, emailing, and eliminating for example. (Was that too gross? ;-)) Then there are other things that are conveniently forgotten unless they have a place carved out in the schedule for them, like getting drilled at the dentist. Activities going against your regular tend to flow fall into the latter category, i.e. if it’s not scheduled, it’s not happening. Therefore, schedule the toughies. If possible, make them early in the day. This is inline with time management tool #58760 Section E: “do the hard things first”.
Example: Setting “two hours a day for article” as a goal is not enough. I’ll literally make seven one- and two-hour appointments with myself and enter them in my schedule. (Seven?!? no wonder it’s not happening on its own!)
Enforce
You may let yourself off the hook when “going it alone”. If that leaves you, well, not on the hook, then call in the troops for re-enforcement. Perhaps this sounds extreme; if so, answer this: “How badly do you want it?” If your motivation is high, then step out of your comfort zone and ask for help.
Example: I’ll set an appointment with my editor in line with the schedule mentioned above. I’ll also include this in my standing co-coaching call that I do with a friend every week.
Persevere
While I’m a big fan of “going with the flow” and “letting it be easy”, sometimes resistance to change takes pure will power to overcome. Sometimes the vision, rewards, or even accountability to another isn’t enough. During these times, maybe all you can do is acknowledge that the reason for these steps for change was important enough to commit to so maybe you should just persevere, trust that a new habit will form soon, and have faith that it will get easier down the road.
Example: If another opportunity arises that competes for the time slot I’ve dedicated to an article appointment, I may reschedule with myself as long as it’s on the same day. Then again, maybe I’ll bite the bullet and say no to the other opportunity—even if it hurts a little.
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
- Vincent Van Gogh
Breaking down the process into these steps gives you built-in reminders for when you’ve fallen off track. Have you lost sight of your vision? Does your plan need tweaking? Do you need to get it back in your schedule? Do you need a new person to be accountable to? Do you need to take your commitments with yourself more seriously? You can see where to pick up again and where to focus your efforts to get going again.
As you struggle to make big changes in your life, remember: your improvement is the improvement of everyone. Your success is the success of everyone. Your happiness is the happiness of everyone. Just as we have all benefited from the changes resulting from Dr. King’s vision and the effects of the Civil Rights Act, we will all benefit from you being the change you want to see in your life.
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Shawn Tuttle is founder of Project Simplify.
