New Year New Habits

Every year there are posts about new approaches to goals in the new year. And it’s easy to roll our eyes and think we’ve seen it all before, but I believe there is something in focusing on the ‘new’ and psychologically the new year provides the perfect trigger for this. Even better if it’s fuelled by a break from work over the festive period.

Where I think we often go wrong, is if we approach the new year without any real tactic. Or if we have come up with some plans they don’t always have solid enough foundations to become reality. And before we know it, we’ve missed the opportunity to take advantage of a new year mentality to make any meaningful difference.

As a neuroscience geek (sorry, not sorry) I was intrigued by a concept I learned from Amanda Gore. It’s known as FARC:

·       Focus

·       Attention

·       Repetition

·       Celebration

4 simple steps that can change what’s in danger of being simply a good intention into a realistic plan of action. It’s not difficult, but it is structured. And being underpinned by science gives us another reason to trust in the process.

Focus:

Well, it’s obvious isn’t it? We need to focus on what it is we want to change or do. But actually is it? What specifically is it that you’re trying to achieve here? Is it a habit you’re trying to break? A new way of working that you want to embody? Without proper time and thought given to this stage you can end up setting goals that don’t actually lead to any change of consequence. I was one advised to take myself out for a coffee date and give my own development the same attention I would someone else. I spent an hour quietly scribbling in my notebook and by the time I’d finished my brew that goal was wildly different to the one I started with. But it also felt more right. And I was more committed and excited to make it happen (…in fact it was a gamechanger for me, but that’s another story!)

Attention:

When I work as a coach I use the GROW model by Sir John Whitmore. The R stands for reality. To be able to move forward you need to understand your current reality, but often people try to jump ahead without giving this enough time. But there’s real insight in paying attention to reality. What is it that you’re doing now? Why are you doing it? Where you have bad habits or impulsive responses, what are their triggers? I believe there’s real merit in actually slowing the process right down, and before you make any change at all just spending some time being super-conscious about where you are right now. From here, you can create a more solid foundation of understanding to move forward from.

Repetition:

Now’s for the hard graft both practically and cognitively. Commit to actions that will create change. But commit to them on a scale where they can be repeated and maintained. This is less like saying you’ll run a marathon, and more like doing a daily walk round the block. Start small with something that you can repeat over a 21 day period, helping our brains re-wire to the new habit until it starts to feel like auto-pilot. You can build from here in the future, but in my experience most people over commit (especially in January where we’re spurred on to do so). Don’t focus on the size of the goal, focus on commiting to frequently revisiting it.

To help you on your way, try some gamification. Make the goal fun if you can or create a tick-list. Satisfyingly crossing off the 21 days will release dopamine and make you feel even more motivated to carry on.

Celebration:

So, you’ve done it right? Goal achieved. Tick. And now you’re feeling ready to dial up to the next goal that’s even bigger and better? Well stop. Take a moment to acknowledge what you’ve already done, and celebrate your achievement, however small it might seem. I love to use this quote here “You can’t see the mountain when you’re stood on top of it”. Sometimes we can only see the scale of our achievements when we look back.

Our brains need to feel rewarded when they’re creating new habits. It’s hard work trying to make change happen, and so take a time to celebrate, even on a small scale. Serotonin and dopamine are released when we celebrate new learnings and these help us feel calm, happy, focused and driven to achieve more. Even better, combine with physical movement for maximum effect. A moment of celebration is the perfect way to close the chapter on one stage of your goal and move forward to the next.

I like to think you can work through the year with ‘FARC sprints’. Take some time for focus and attention, then create a 21 day repetition sprint followed by a period of celebration. Then when you’re ready go again. It’s my belief that this is better than one over-arching goal for the year as it’s more practical, considered and taps into the best parts of brain motivation.