Radical changes in unradical ways

Recent client story. Shared with permission. 

Imagine you are a cruise liner captain who discovered that your ship declined from the main course by few degrees. It may not seem much, however, over time it may lead to not reaching the desired destination.

This was a metaphor I thought of whilst working with a formidable woman, CEO and entrepreneur. She was not only a serial entrepreneur and leader who built successful organisations, but also with her recent start-up she ventured into new international waters, by founding medical innovative start up, raising funds, attracting investors, taking it to the international marketplace and creating team. All of this, from a complete bare-bone idea stage. 

To me, she was a Titan.

Although her venture was on course and going from strength to strength, she found herself in a unusual place in her personal journey, when her body was signaling that 70+ hours work week was not okay anymore. Relentless meetings and business trips were not okay anymore.

I think this story will be familiar to many women leaders. The name of this story is exhaustion and burnout.

Throughout life, from captains of quick maneuverable boats we grow into captains of ocean liners with obligations for the lives of our children, close and extended families, for mortgages and education, for teams and businesses we built.

Even if you would want it, radical changes may not be an option.  

then …

What is the way to achieve radical changes in unradical ways?

The answer is - like a cruise liner. With steady, consistent and patient action for creating new habits. Habits, that not only nurture family, team members and businesses, but also ourselves.

This will require…

 … acknowledgement - courageous openness to face the truth that you are your biggest asset and selfcare is not a luxury or a whim anymore. 

… becoming ruthless with your attention – switching laser focus on high leverage activities and ruthless prioritisation. 

… daily habit creation – discipline in installing mini-habits, even ridiculously smallest and easiest actions on forming new self-recreational habits. These are the small changes that change everything.

…celebration of smallest wins - our brain needs to link even smallest wins to a pleasure circuit in our brain in order to motivate us next time.

BJ Fogg, an academic authority on habit creation, founder of the Behaviour Design Lab at Stanford University describes a model of three universal elements of behaviour and their relationship to one another.  B=MAP

Behaviours happens when Motivation, Ability and Prompt come together at the same moment. 

You can install new behaviour or disrupt it by removing the prompt, which is the first easiest way to stop behaviour from happening. 

His ABC Anatomy of tiny habits model advises to Anchor new behaviour onto existing habit. The formula is very simple. After I (anchor- for example, brush my teeth), I will (habit – do my morning yoga, breathing, movement .. insert your version). 

Steven Guise, another big authority on habit creation, advises to start with “stupid small habits”, too small to fail. Do your tiny behaviour immediately after your chosen anchor moment.

Close the loop by instant celebration and acknowledgement. Celebration is something that creates a positive emotion, such as saying “I did a good job”. 

“Once you remove any hint of judgement, your behaviour becomes a science experiment. A sense of exploration and discovery is a prerequisite to success, not just an added bonus” B.J. Fogg