Module 8: Belief Drives Behavior
“If you believe you can or if you believe you can’t, you’re right” Henry Ford
Weeks Reading Material
Now that you have an understanding of how the subconscious works, how your intentions and your thought process is connected to creating your reality, you can see how your beliefs drive your behaviors in everyday life. You may have a clear picture of what you want to achieve, but you might struggle with finding the motivation you need to carry them out. The thing is that you can’t rely on motivation to achieve your goals because successful people consistently do the things they don’t feel motivated to do.
Mel Robbins, who is an author, speaker, and coach, explains how your feelings are screwing you and how to close the gap between knowing what you need to do and not doing it. She calls it the 5-second rule.
Click here to watch Mel’s video
Before we go into how to set up goals, I want to acknowledge that maybe you don’t know what you want your life to look like. If this is the case, I recommend that you listen to the video by Branden Burchard on “How to ignite your life.” Buchard gives you four steps on how you can feel grateful and excited about where you are in life right now!
Click here to watch Branden video
Goal Setting- There are so many ways to accomplish your goals. One thing I have noticed that helps me execute mine is having a plan of action (PA) like I’ve talked about in Module 3 by writing them down. First, you have to figure out what your goals are by self-reflecting and honing in on what you want. Once you’ve done that, I recommend having a brainstorm or brain dumping session. It will allow you to get all of your ideas out on paper. After, sift through your thoughts and decide what you can do to accomplish your goals now.
Plan of Action (PA)- Review how to come up with a simple plan of action from Week 3.
This exercise will help you create a system that will make you more accomplished, motivated, and productive when executing your goals. Over the years, I have created many PA’s that help me run my business and household. By writing out a to-do list, it has helped me stay sane and get a better night’s sleep. Try making categories for your work, personal, and family life. It’s essential to complete your BIG list of things first. Once you do, it’ll help you feel accomplished, keep you motivated, and give you time to fulfill your other listed items.
I am always learning from other coaches and authors, two of which, I feel present very tangible pieces of advice. I want you to listen and read what Brendon Burchard and Tim Ferris recommend for achieving goals and come up with a system that makes sense to you. Take notes and apply them to your life.
Brandon Burchard- Click here to watch his video about how to stick to your goals
I believe your calendar will reflect whether or not you are working on achieving your goals and creating the life you desire. Here is an article by Tim Ferris that explains how to review your calendar to see if it reflects just that. Read the article here.
Other tips that I have found very beneficial are:
- If you are not sure what steps to take to accomplish your goals, ask someone else who has achieved them. Get advice and make a PA for this goal.
- From your PA, schedule time for each of those things on the list. Start with the most important first step.
- You will have other opportunities that come along your path, learn to say no to the things that don’t help you accomplish those tasks.
The sum of our daily choices can make a huge impact.
I want you to figure out the flow of your week that will reflect the goals and life you desire. How you set up and end your day is what I like to call bookends. Set a time frame that’s dedicated to the bookends of your day that focus on the aspects of your life that make you happy and motivated! In Module 3 I went over how to set up your morning bookend with the power hour. For the evening bookend it is a good time to review your top 5 things for the next day and take time to unwind without electronics. Take this time to read, meditate or journal.
What is your flow?
- Set aside time for work, workouts, recovery days, hobbies, and time with your friends and family where it makes the most sense.
- When you’re setting up the flow of your week, I want you to think back to the exercise from Week 2 by checking in with “how you feel, and what do you need?” With this practice, you should be more in tune with what you require. Don’t try and do everything yourself. Learn how to communicate your needs and expectations.
- Self-care includes activities that improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
- Prepare yourself for activities that will be draining on your overall health. Set aside time for yourself that will build you back up.
- I recommend unplugging from electronics for half a day or 24 hours. My family avoids checking emails, playing video games, browsing social media, and more on every Sunday. It can be hard at first, but after a while, it comes naturally. It is also an optimal time to create your PA for the week and complete any unfinished projects you may have.
Something is better than nothing. This is one of the mantras I live by. Being a mother of three and a businesswoman, I have learned to find windows of opportunity. Rather than thinking that I have a limited amount of time, I’ve started using the power of intention, as I mentioned in Week 5. If you know you only have a specific amount of time, you have to use it wisely. I recommend using a timer and turning off any distractions so that you can be focused.
I also use this mantra with my daughters by helping them work on projects for school and around the house. If the home is messy, and we have a full day, I will say, “Let us do a power hour of cleaning.” Learn to communicate and delegate tasks to those around you. “Teamwork makes the dream work!”
Tips for maintaining a healthy energy level throughout your day.
- Keep maintaining the 5 To Thrive from Week 3.
- Schedule breaks throughout the day.
- Set a timer for every 60 minutes or a couple of hours to get up and take a physical and mental break.
- Go out outside, get some sunshine
- Stretch
- Try these three yoga poses that will help to increase your energy and also help you wind down at the end of the day. (Embed blog post here) http://blog.sirrineyoga.com/post/3-yoga-poses-de-stress-energize-abc15s-sonoran-living
- Watch my webinar on “How to Increase your Energy” (embed blog post below)
- http://blog.sirrineyoga.com/webinar/how-to-increase-energy-webinar-replay
- Be intentional with how you transition throughout your day and schedule breaks between your shifts. I talked about this in Week 5. When you are transitioning through different parts of your day, are you dragging your feelings into it without noticing? Once you become aware of how you are feeling, make sure to schedule physical and mental breaks when needed.
Assignment 1
Evaluate how your days and week usually flow. Think back to when you were feeling in the zone and when you were not. Write down the pros and cons of your current schedule with your partner and children. See where you might need to move appointments, or where you are over-scheduled with activities. See what flows and makes sense for you and your family.
Assignment 2
Write your week’s flow. Before you write out your flow, I want you to remember the exercise from Week 2 with the practice of checking in with “how do I feel, and what do I need?” From this, you should be more in tune with what you need to practice self-care and how to communicate your needs. Don’t try and do everything yourself. Pick a weekend and plan the flow of your week. Schedule self-care and fun first! Write it out so that you can see it every day.
Assignment 3
Schedule breaks throughout your day to help with your transitions and energy level. If needed, make an appointment on your phone or set a reminder so you don’t forget! Try the various suggestions from above and see what resonates with you.