Here we go again. A new year and a new resolve to keep those New Year Resolutions (new habits) that most of us will give up on by the middle of the month. As I’ve written about in my last two Trail Tips, we need to begin our understanding of our habits by understanding the science of them; which Charles Duhigg, explains it in his book, “The Power of Habit – Why we do what we do in life and business”. Charles defines a habit as a Loop: When I see a CUE, I will do a ROUTINE, In order to get a REWARD. The QUE and REWARD become intertwined and creates a sense of anticipation and Craving: “I see this, I want this REWARD”. I propose that the key to making headway for lasting New Year Resolutions is thus to focus on the QUE that kicks off the automatic habit, knowing ahead of time when you may expect that QUE, and having a new ROUTINE prepared to implement.
Exercise (aka hiking, running, walking) is always a big New Year Resolution area. “But it’s cold and dark outside at 6 am, so I’d rather go back to bed”. Here is how we can create a new QUE for our hiking. Start by looking at the rolling 10-day weather forecast. Note the best days out of that block and mark the time for each day you will go hiking. Then for each of those days, lay out your gear the night before. Thus, starting to mentally have that Craving in your mind for the reward of the hike. This is where having a hiking buddy is key to get you out. Knowing that a CUE can be someone is going to be waiting to hike with you, provides that extra motivation go also get you into the ROUTINE (action of hiking). It’s worth noting that when we still had our Golden Retriever, Ava; she would see the hiking clothes laid out and then sleep on them because that was her CUE that good times are about to happen with a hike the next morning. If you wait to get your gear ready the day of your hike, you are much more likely to not have that CUE ready to trigger your hike for the day.
Eating (aka our personal life) is that next New Year Resolution area. Drinking Dr. Pepper and eating Rocky Road ice cream are the resolves I’ve been trying to change for the past several years. Again, changes here need to start with the CUEs. For Dr. Pepper, I know the CUEs of where every convenience store is and how much they charge for a XL refill. I can’t avoid driving past them, but I can anticipate them and have a new ROUTINE ready. Leave the house with a full water bottle and start a new ROUTINE by drinking from it every time I go past one of those convenience stores. It’s 9 pm, I’ve made it another day, I see the TV so the CUE is triggered and I’m looking for that ice cream for my reward. I can change that by having a book out to read, so that becomes my CUE. I might have to go extreme here and put duct tape around the ice cream and have the book sitting on top of it in the freezer.
Personal Growth (Our professional life), is where we want to make those changes with learning new skills, hobbies, and other creative areas (arts, music, writing, etc.) This is where time comes in, because it takes time to do these things. And what is the thing that is sucking so much of our time. For me, I know it’s my “smart phone”, which I think is making me dumber by the day because of all the time I spend on it. Put the phone in another room and have it on silence, so you don’t have the CUE of seeing or hearing it. And as mentioned above, put out the books you are reading around the house to trigger the routine of reading whenever you see them.
“All our life, so far it as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits – practical, emotional, and intellectual – systematically organized for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny, whatever the latter be.” William James, 1892. What do you want your legacy and destiny to be in 2018? What are the habits you are going to change in 2018 to get you there?
Al Andersen 