Our constant quest to achieve more and work faster is a trap.
Here are four behavior multipliers that can help you along the way toward your goals.
This post originally appeared onJames Clear’s blog.
Let’s talk about these multipliers and how they work.
The more immediate the feedback is that you get, the quicker you might make adjustments to your behavior.
(This is why it’s important tomeasure backward.)
My friendBen Altmanshared a good example with me recently.
He had a client who wanted to improve his posture.
That’s slow and inconsistent feedback because it only happens when someone notices and makes a remark.
When he slouched, the tape pulled just enough on his shirt so that he noticed the change.
The most foundational aspect of a new habit is awareness.
If you’re not aware of your habits, how can you expect to change them?
This is why feedback is so important.
Faster feedback leads to faster results.
Simplicity
Thebest productivity strategyis to eliminate the things that derail your productivity.
If you live a life with fewer distractions, it becomes much easier to take effective action.
80 percent of your revenue comes from the best 20 percent of your clients.)
“Put all of your energy into the things that provide the biggest benefit!”
In many cases, the danger isn’t knowing what the most important task is for the day.
The danger is doing the seventh most important thing before you do the most important thing.
When the distractions are taken away from you, it becomes much easier tostay focused.
Environment
In my opinion, this is the greatest success “hack” there is.
The world around us shapes our behavior.
Consider the home you live in, for example.
Is there food sitting on the counter?
You’re more likely to pick it up and eat it.
Do your couches and chairs face the television?
You’re more likely to sit down and turn it on.
You’ll be more likely to suit up and go for a run tomorrow.
Do you work at an office with healthy and fit people?
If so, you’ll be more likely to see exercise and activity as a normal way of life.
Every environment promotes some behaviors and prevents others.
The key is to be in an environment that supports the results you want to achieve.
Are you fighting your environment to make change happen?
Or does your environmentmake your new behavior effortless?
This is also where talent and genetic potential come into the picture.
Play a game that rewards your skill set and success will come faster.
That said, these four strategies make rapid success more reasonable:
Get short-term feedback.
Simplify and eliminate distractions.
Surround yourself with an environment that promotes your new behavior.
Play a game that leverages your skill set.
Proactively managing these four factors as your move forward with your goals can help you guide your progress.
Image bybrainpencil(Shutterstock).
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