Learn how to manage change
Keep the momentum going. Now you’ve decided to make changes, keep it up!
This is when you need all the grit and determination you possess. It’s easy to leap into action, but not so easy to keep going. Give yourself a fighting chance and coach yourself through the tough times.
If you’re right at the beginning of your journey of change, have a quick look at this summary of topics on Achieve Self-Mastery.
Reframe problems as challenges
Don’t let “problems” discourage or slow you down. Instead, use them as chances to exercise creativity to find solutions. Trust yourself to pick the most useful options to manage change.
You may not always be able to do what you planned. But often you’ll find another way that is actually better.
Don’t trust false worry messages
Your brain may send you alarming messages about the changes you want to make. But most worry messages from your brain are false. They make you think your goals involve terrible risks.
To manage change, learn to see these worry messages for the nonsense they are. And anyway, you can still take action even though you’re scared. If you give in to fear, you’ll sit watching TV for the rest of your life. What would be worse: making modest progress, or doing nothing at all and regretting it forever?
Mastering change
The more you take action and do what you need to do, the easier it is to change your life. So to achieve success, master the process of change. All of these steps will be explained in various articles.
Record your vision on paper in a “change journal”.
Set clear goals and write them down.
Take small steps.
Record and reward yourself for each small gain.
Repeat each step till it’s mastered.
Be patient and give your brain time to take in new information.
Resolve to ban emotional self-sabotage, self-criticism and worry.
Stick to your plans instead, and take the tough decisions.
See yourself as someone who works around difficulties.
Be determined to be determined. Persist even when you don’t feel like persisting.
Stay away from people and situations that tempt you to stop changing.
Be strong: withstand pressure from others to give up and give in.
Have the strength to hold on to your vision up when you’re flagging.
And face life with grit, patience and gratitude.
Small steps, big rewards over time
If doesn’t matter if you make tiny changes, one at a time. And it doesn’t matter what you want to change. The process is much the same.
Start on one area, repeat these tiny steps over and over, and see how you progress. Once you start, changing becomes a life-long process.
Of course, sometimes the process may stall completely. But never give up. You may need to rethink your strategy if you’re really having trouble. You may even need to decide if the goal is something you want to keep striving for.
Look back at what you’ve achieved. Be proud that you’re working to achieve mastery over yourself and your environment. You’ll transcend the ordinary and transform your life, one step at a time.
