1.5 - About University

a deeply ingrained emotional basis, they don’t change easily, or with a vague “I should …” or“I shouldn’t …” statement (e.g., New Year’s resolutions). You have to declare war on bad habits!You will then need courage, discipline, and persistence to implement a) a good game plan, b)a few clear first steps, and c) consistent action.While logic is involved, feelings dominate most of our decisions. For instance, why did youget married? Why did you take a certain job and reject another? To help you feel differently,you’ve got to think differently. Because it’s difficult if not impossible to change a feeling directly,in order to change a habit, you need to insert and start from a new way of thinking. Youmust act on your new thinking in a conscious manner, rather than thinking in your habitualautomatic way, based on your current feelings. For a while, this new way of thinking, and subsequentlythe new way of behaving based on your new thinking, will feel uncomfortable. Overtime, as success and positive consequences from your new way of thinking and acting accumulate,your feelings will catch up and adjust. Now you have a new and improved habit, andthe new way of working (thinking and acting) feels right. This is what is meant by the phrase,“Fake it till you make it.”H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“Habits are powerful factors in our lives. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns,they constantly, daily, express our character and produce our effectiveness … or ineffectiveness.”—Stephen Covey, THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLEIt’s common for leaders to prefer the familiar and comfortable habits, even though they knowthat these habits have significant limitations. In addition, there is no sure-fire way to changean ingrained habit. However, if motivational and contextual conditions are right, you have afair chance of being successful at changing a habit. To change a habit, you need to:1. Be significantly dissatisfied with the dysfunctional habit.2. Have a vision of a better way of thinking and acting.3. Take clear action steps to change the dysfunctional habit.4. Have support to help you stick with it as you struggle to change the dysfunctional habit.5. Be able to resist the pull back to the familiar and comfortable (although dysfunctional)habit.These five conditions are summarized in the Personal Change Equation:SD × V × FS × SS > RMultiply Sufficient Dissatisfaction by a Vision for a better way, by First Steps in workingtoward changing the habit, by the Support System that will be helping you to make thechange. For change to succeed and endure, the product must be greater than the Resistancethat is keeping you stuck in the current habit.WEB WORKSHEETThe Personal Change Equation will help you assess which habits you are happy with and wantto keep; which habits you are unhappy with, but that aren’t worth the struggle it would taketo change; and which habits you are unhappy with and want to change. Changing habits isdifficult work, and you will almost certainly need help with the process. Consider engaging acoach or counselor to ensure that you get ongoing feedback and support.468 SECTION 15 TOOLS FOR TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF