Shrinking Change

One of the toughest things you face at this time of year is staying motivated long enough to make the changes necessary in achieving new goals.

What if…you were closer to reaching those new goals than you thought?

What if….you understood you were not starting from scratch?

You know breaking down new goals into small actions steps is essential. The small action steps take you from a state of overwhelm, feeling the need to do it all at once, to providing you focus on what to do next. This becomes your plan in how to reach your new goals though it does not shrink them.

On a scale from one to ten...

Shrinking the change is realizing you are not actually starting from scratch when going after your goals. Shrinking the change comes from identifying the activities and habits that you are already doing! These activities and habits place you closer to the finish line right from the start. 

When you think about the first action step you take in going after a new goal it has you mentally starting at zero. You accomplish that new goal and arrive at ten. Here's the difference! Before you start working toward your new goal review the activities and habits you are already doing that will assist you in achieving it. This is where you discover you are not starting at zero, you find you are actually starting from 2 or 3! How cool is that? 

Here is how you get shrinkage... 

Your goal is to workout consistently five days a week. You review what you are already doing and discover that you workout consistently twice a week. Now instead of adding five workouts a week you are looking at an additional three days a week. That is shrinking what you want to change.

You have decided this is the year to eat healthier. For you this means eating three balanced meals a day and having healthy snacks. You begin by looking at what you are already doing right and realize you eat three healthy meals a day. Your reality now becomes making healthier choices regarding snacks not your whole meal plan. That is shrinking what you want to change.

You decide you want to be heard and contribute where you can add value consistently. You begin to look where you do speak up and add value in your life. You discover you do it with your husband/wife, your kids, your friends and even your peers. The reality is you don’t do it when senior people in your organization are present. Now there is only one area that you need to focus on in providing your voice instead of all areas of your life. That is shrinking what you want to change. 

This concept can be used when leading change in your organization, with your team or in regards to your personal brand. Look for what you are already doing right!

Shrinking the change gives you a mental boost in realizing your destination is closer than you think.

Align yourself with what matters most to you. Live your brand fully expressed with intention and purpose to achieve outstanding results!

NOTE: “Shrink the change” is a concept that came from a book I recently read, Switch by Chip and Dan Heath. It is a great read with some practical examples of different ways to look at and influence change.