The Big Splash
I like making a big splash, mostly in the business world but in the water is fun as well. What is the big deal about making a big splash? Well, for me it is not just about the splash itself but everything that I worked on that lead me to the splash.
The big moments feel great but the smaller accomplishments leading up to those moments are rewarding as well – and they pay big dividends. Forming small habits lead to big splashes.
In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear declares, “All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.”
So, in order to form habits that lead to progress, you need to break bad habits and develop good ones. This is not a one-time event. It is continually:
- Evaluating yourself to look for your own roadblocks.
- Reflecting on past projects to see what worked or didn’t.
- Expanding on your good habits.
- Breaking bad habits.
Another great habit thinker and teacher is John Maxwell. In a leadership course he taught, I learned that one habit he developed for writing books was to write down notes/thoughts on pieces of paper and file them according to their topic. When he was ready to write a book, he simply went to the appropriate folders and found his content. A good habit led to easier writing for him. Maxwell’s blog How Successful People Think includes a downloadable pocket guide to 11 types of thinking that will change your life. Go check it out!
So where and how can you get started? First, be honest with yourself about your bad habits and start working on breaking them. Next, no matter how small the task, begin developing good habits that will get the task completed. Last, continually improve your behavior and systems. If you would like personal insights about your behavioral drives and needs, CLG can help you. Let’s get together soon and work toward progress together!
