This release includes a number of small changes:
Six months ago, many of us set New Year’s Resolutions. Did they stick?
Statistically, almost all of us have had trouble. That’s perfectly normal—we wish we could make immediate changes in our lives, but often we’re only capable of making incremental progress in fits and starts.
In past release notes I’ve talked about Lift’s behavior change model as a background for how we do product design. Today, I’m going to flip that around and teach behavior design as a personal debugging tool to restart goals that you’re having trouble with.
“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. ~ Abraham Lincoln”
Pick a goal that you wish you were doing better on. Then ask yourself the following questions.
Why do I want to do this? Clarity is motivating.
Can I get momentum by doing something smaller? If your goal is to workout for 30 minutes, then try starting with just 5 minutes. Once you get the routine down, you’ll have a lot more success expanding your effort. Almost all habits can be started with very small steps.
What is going to trigger me to do this habit? You could set an alarm or a reminder in Lift. But most habit designers will recommend that you tie your new habit to an existing habit. Write your goal down with the trigger included. Here are some examples, “I will set priorities when I sit down at my desk,” “I will floss after I finish brushing,” “I will put on my running clothes when I get out of bed.”
Can I make the habit more clear? There’s a big difference between “Eat healthy” and “Eat only low carb foods.” But you can get even more clear with yourself, “I will go to the gym for 30 minutes after I leave work.”
Props for all your progress so far. Lift is an inspiring community.
