Make It Easy To Succeed
Happy Monday, fabulous friends!
Have you ever wanted to start a habit, be more organized, or just be more efficient in work or life? Well, same here! I'm always on the lookout for new ways to get my ducks in a row, perform at a higher level, and manage my current tasks while adding more to my already full plate.
So, how do you do that?
While there's no one-size-fits-all perfect plan, I have three tips that can help you set yourself up for success and make it easier to succeed.
1. Set Yourself Up for Success
This might sound like a no-brainer, but it's super important. Start with a goal, task, new habit, or something you want to work on. Write it down and use the ‘SMART’ goal method – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. One of the most important aspects is the 'A' for ‘Attainable’. Even if your goals are big, they can still be attainable. Don’t count them out because they are big! Instead, break them down into unbelievably small, manageable bites.
For example:
If you want to have really moisturized skin, keep lotion in the places you use the most – maybe right next to your shower, your room, your car, etc.
If you want to start reading before bed, write down what you typically do before bed and replace it with the number of pages and/or time it will take you to read. Keep the book on your nightstand.
If you want to drink more water, take a water bottle with you wherever you go.
If you are starting a new hobby, utilize AI tools to help you make a plan or guide for the first action step.
When you make the changes small, they are easier to manage, making it easier to incorporate, learn, and solidify. Additionally, understand and obtain the items you will need to make the new addition effective. Then, place these items in convenient locations to support the new action.
2. Preparation Makes Performance Successful
You've heard it before, and here it is again: success is in the preparation. If you want to be very productive this week, set aside 10, 20, or 30 minutes on Sunday night or Monday morning to plan out everything you have for the week. Write down your weekly goals and break them down, implementing the practices from step #1. If you want to master a new skill, prepare. Lay out the actionable steps you need to take to accomplish the goal. Then, enjoy the joy of crossing off the little victories as you conquer each step.
As silly as it sounds, going back to pen and paper at the start of every week can be very effective. Take a moment to brain dump everything you need to tackle, anything that comes to mind. Then categorize the tasks into work, home, events, financial, etc. From there, divide and conquer. Evaluate each task and its priority, then implement the steps to accomplish it.
3. Complete & Celebrate
Celebrate yourself when you complete a goal or task that you set out to do! It’s great work and recognizing your improvement to keep moving forward is extremely important.
Dopamine Release: When you reward yourself, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This release reinforces the behavior that led to the reward, making you more likely to repeat it in the future.
Enhanced Self-Esteem: Rewarding yourself can improve your self-esteem and self-confidence. It reinforces the idea that your efforts are valuable and worthy of recognition.
For smaller, everyday tasks, rewards could be a fun snack or coffee, a short break, a walk outside, etc.
Rewards for bigger tasks could be a tangible item you’ve had your eye on or a nice celebratory meal.
The goal is to create consistency through these patterns and reward positive behaviors that will support a consistent routine. The more consistent the behavior, the easier it will be to tackle larger tasks and approach them with ease in the future… Keep growing keep striving, keep thriving.
Put yourself in the best position to succeed. You got this, babe!
Love Always,
Mo
