Habit Change
Small changes make the biggest difference
Change your legacy when no one is looking — with habits so small you can’t help but practice them.
When we want big things, our first instinct is to (of course) think big. But we shouldn’t!
Instincts are what we do naturally. Sometimes our instincts are awesome. Maybe you instinctually get up every morning at sunrise to exercise. Great. But sometimes, instincts set us up for a painful recurring outcome. Where your instincts typically lead to pain is where your intelligence — your training — can slowly, habitually reconstruct your instincts. How each behavior and habit plays consciously into our lives is the integration piece.
To do anything big … we must start with the small. A small habit that brings big change.
It’s easy to think that your life is programmed for you — that your instincts are immovable — but what habit practices show you is that we have so much intelligence to shift our initial instincts. And where those two things meet is where things get really interesting.
How to get started on your own small habit for big change.
To find the most effective small habit, look at what your instincts are. Think of an old instinct (e.g., something you do naturally or an automatic response to something) you want to disrupt (or a new habit you want to establish) — and pick the smallest action that relates to it. Then get to work implementing, using small habits to integrate your intelligence (your training) and your instinct (your nature).
How do you implement these small changes?
Start on a refresh time — Mondays, birthdays, New Year’s, first of the month, etc.
Attach it to an existing habit to reduce any resistance.
Make it bite-sized…so you don’t need extra motivation to accomplish it.
If you can’t think of a small habit to change right now, try this one. It’s scientifically proven to improve your overall well-being.
Make it a small habit to connect to a stranger or acquaintance.
Studies show that people who connect with tiny interactions with strangers feel more joyful and less lonely.
A small connection habit can open you more up to the world, including your family members and other loved ones. This is an especially important practice when your life is surrounded by various gatekeepers. It can become more challenging to open yourself up to someone new. However, this can change over time in small doses and much repetition.
“So, how are you doing today?”
Next time you’re with the person checking you out at the grocery store, a host at a restaurant, or riding with a cab driver, ask how their day is going.
You’ll be surprised by how quickly building rapport with someone new opens your day to new possibilities.
If your instinct is to be efficient and straightforward to a fault, leaving no time for serendipity and small talk—this connection habit is the small change that could lead to you changing your life when nobody's watching.
When you connect with others, you connect with yourself, and when you can really connect with yourself — your legacy and your work benefit.
It’s small. But it’s big.
