Category Archives: Habits

Habits are ‘your operating system’ and they need updating for the same reason your electronic devices do.
We’ve come to expect regular OS updates so our devices can be more powerful, the bugs to be fixed, features enhanced and security strengthened.
That same process works well for how we get things done.

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A Marketing Message with Heart

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I am not a whiskey drinker. Nor have I ever heard of Bell’s Whiskey. But I admit I’d buy their brand based on the message that I have only seen three times.

The message is memorable. Plus I have told others and/or sent a link. I love the fact it is only two minutes in duration. Only the first 3 seconds and last 8 seconds give any indication of the brand; the rest is an excellent story.

Occasionally a message comes along worth paying attention to because it shares a story that touches our heart. It is long on message short on advertising.

It is at the bottom of this post. Enjoy a two minute break.

Daily we are bombarded with marketing messages. They come in various forms. Repetitive marketing messages are based on old assumptions that if you see an ad often enough you will be inspired to buy. Research in the past 25 years has revealed these marketing assumptions to be ineffective. But repetition is still practiced.

Repetition doesn’t work. Neale Martin, author of Habit: 95% of Behavior Marketers Ignore explains why. He points to research that revealed we are equipped with dual processors the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind talks on a cell phone while the unconscious mind drives. These two minds are often referred to as the executive mind and the habitual mind.

The executive mind is where we consciously store and retrieve memories, create intentional thought and logically solve problems. The executive mind can think about both the past and the future. The habitual mind handles a vast array of functions, from regulating our heartbeat and body temperature to storing thousands of responses to previously learned behaviors. The habitual mind is guided by the past but lives in the present.

I’ll be glad when marketers accept that we don’t need to be bombarded with repetition to get the message. A few more quality messages like this video would be a welcome respite.

 

https://youtu.be/Yy7fxLwfOnQ

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Perspective’s Role in Handling Challenges

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This tribute to Nelson Mandela illustrates how minor shifts in perspective can alter your point of view.

What’s behind the artwork Fifty rods of steel, symbolizing prison bars, so people will never forget the years Mandela was imprisoned. The remarkable thing about this artwork is that it is only when you stand at a certain distance (which is marked) that you see him.

 

Perspective__1Mandela Perspective__2Mandela Perspective__3Mandela Perspective__4Mandela

Perspective has a significant role in handling challenges For instance, if you’ve had a serious disagreement with a colleague over a joint project,  your perspective may be draining your energy. In relationship dynamics, most of us bring a point of view to the conversation and it’s perplexing when the other person doesn’t see things in a similar way. That alignment you started with has dissipated into a serious divide of aims, values and responsibilities.  She’s ranting that you aren’t keeping your end of the bargain while your view is that she’s changing what she committed to. You may walk away feeling misunderstood,  disrespected or defensive.

What’s real and what’s perception? Perspective is how you see things and shapes your thoughts, feelings, actions and what you say. Frequently we’re advised to step back and look at things another way.  A different angle can shift perspective. When it comes to interpersonal interactions, what is far better is to have a behavior framework to interpret perplexing dynamics.

A framework enables you to rise above your gut reactions, find the presence of mind to be curious and use language the other person can ‘hear’. As a result, the new data gets you closer to clarity and the approach that engages.

As the picture illustrates, distance shifts perspective.  Some problems require more than distance.  When what you do relies on working with and through others, learning a behavior framework can be valuable to have in your toolkit.

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Adapting Habits: Who Has the Answers – Google or You?

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When change is staring us in the face, most of us understand that we will need to do things differently. But adapting behavior can range from very simple to extremely difficult. Though we understand the reason for adapting – putting a change into practice can be a bigger challenge than we envisioned.

The reasons for resisting can be obvious or obscure. Your resistance may be easy to ignore, or you may find it to be perplexing. You may have an intense desire to do things differently yet find yourself powerless when it comes to taking action. And if you are used to accomplishing, that’s very frustrating.

Have you ever had a situation where your effectiveness and execution were stalled? You knew you needed to move ahead but couldn’t. It didn’t make sense, since you are usually clear and decisive. It’s because each of us has a unique code for why we do what we do.

Imagine finding a closed padlock you haven’t used in awhile. You wonder what the code is and try many variations with no luck. It remains locked and out of commission.

Why is it when you pose a question to Google it displays a plethora of answers? But when it comes to your behavior, only you possess the code that will unlock things. Google could give you advice, but the reasons why adapting is difficult in this particular situation are inside you.   It takes insight to turn awareness into action.

How can you crack your code? It takes a skilled interpreter to connect the information and insights unique to you. Having your habit interpreted can release useful data to reduce any perplexing aspects hindering you from taking action.

How do you determine if a habit interpreter is required? Well, here are three clues that indicate you may need an interpreter.

1) Whenever you hear yourself saying “There’s gotta be a better way”. Especially when it is unclear what that better way is for you. Or,

2) You have found the perfect off the shelf solution in a book or article, and it worked well for a few weeks then you stopped using it, and you don’t know why. Or,

3) The 21 day program sounded terrific but you barely lasted a week.

Does any of these sound familiar?  If you can’t get your answer from Google, you may want to try a session with The Habit Interpreter.