Keith JonesMarch 11, 2016

How do you make change lasting? I believe you start by behaving like the person you want to become. It’s not about imitating someone else. It’s choosing to do the things that produce the results you want. You can’t think yourself into it or watch someone else do it and expect to reap the benefits. You have to walk the road yourself. Others can partner with you along the way, but you have to do the work.

Author and coach, Robin Sharma says, “it’s easier to behave your way into a new way of thinking than thinking your way into a new way of behaving.” Behavioral change is the most effective way to reach your goals and maintain them. You can read all the books you want, go to a lot of seminars and talk to knowledgable people, but that won’t produce lasting change. Sharma says to have sustainable success, “you want to behave like the person you want to become. And that practiced behavior over time rewires the mindset to begin thinking like the person you want to become.” Adopt this new behavior for the long term and it will produce the results that you want.

Practicing and behaving like the person you want to become is how you change and become that person. Eating healthy when food temptations are around becomes easier and easier through practice. Pretty soon, those items no longer tempt you. Being healthy and fit is produced not by simply thinking about it. That alone doesn’t get you out of the bed before 5 am morning after morning when you’re tired or it’s cold outside. A commitment to the behavior of getting up and working out regardless of how you feel and what time it is produces the mindset that makes your workouts non-negotiable. You commit to behavior and a routine that you go workout no matter what. And being kind and loving to people becomes your new norm of behavior when you practice it with everyone you come in contact with, regardless of how they may treat you. Who they are, what they do becomes irrelevant in the face of your commitment to behave lovingly to everyone.

Practice is how you change for the long term and produce lasting success. It’s not through thinking about it. Change your behavior and practice the new behavior over and over to shift your thinking and mindset to be the person you want to become.

Stronger Mindset,

Keith