Making Change a FOREVER thing.

Hello Boys and Girls.

I thought that as a whole bunch of you (fifty-ish) craigharper.commers are about to undertake what could be a reality-changing four weeks of your life on the GYST Challenge, it would be timely and appropriate for us to explore the concept of creating FOREVER change.

It would be fair to say that the majority of us have mastered the art of the short-term change.
Oh yes; we can all be amazing for a week.
Possibly a month.
And if we had the lifespan of yer typical insect… that would be great.
But being as us humans have an annoying tendency to live for quite some time, we probably need some kinda longer term approach and more realistic strategy than the… “I’ll start next Monday… again” system we’ve been using!
Like the guy who gave up cigarettes.
For the tenth time.

I love it when people say to me “I’ve given up smoking before”.
They never really gave up; they just took a break.

Change means… change.
Not different… for a few weeks.

We get in shape for weddings, birthdays and reunions.
In fact we get in shape for all kinds of events and functions.
But we rarely get in shape for life.
That is, for ever.
You know what I mean.

We do stuff for a while… and then we don’t do it.
We get all excited.
Then we get un-excited.
We get busy.
Then we get lazy, distracted, disappointed, discouraged; un-busy.

We lose weight for summer… then we get fat(ter) for winter.
It’s what we do.
It’s not our goal.. but it is what we do.

You don’t need to be an exercise scientist to know that the majority of people who lose weight (for example), regain it; you just need to be an observer of people and you’ll learn that for yourself.
We are a collective of people who are perpetually starting things we don’t complete.

Forever change ain’t about opportunities, ability, luck or ‘timing’… it’s about finishing what you start.
It’s about getting shit done.
Once and for all.
It’s about persevering when most wouldn’t.
It’s about consistently doing what we NEED to do irrespective of how we’re feeling on a given day.
It’s about taking charge of that amazing thing called your mind.

I have spoken with many people over the years who have fat, skinny and medium sections in their wardrobe because they ‘know’ that their size, shape and weight are like the Melbourne weather; dynamic… always changing.
Like an athlete, they ‘peak’ for an event… and then get fat again.
Stupid and dangerous.
For their head and their health.

And we do this short-term thing in all areas of our life… not just with our health and fitness but with relationships, finances, careers, personal goals and projects (write that book.. you know who you are) and with all kinds of destructive and counter-productive habits and behaviours.

We all know people (maybe you are those people) who have ‘given up’ a range of destructive habits, turned their life around and changed their reality… only to end up back where they were some time down the track.
And no, I’m not saying it’s easy… but I am saying it’s very possible.

A large part of my job is working with individuals and organizations who are in desperate need of change… physiological, emotional, psychological, behavioural, social, cultural and practical change.
They come to me because they are tired of smashing their head/s against that brick wall.
Just like you might be.

Here are some thoughts on creating FOREVER results.
(I’ve covered some of this before… call it revision)

1. Be completely realistic and practical (not to be confused with negative) about the change process.
Don’t try and undo twenty years of bad behaviours and habits by next Tuesday.
Don’t try and change fifty things at once.
Identify your key challenges/concerns for you right now and approach those methodically, practically and sensibly.
Short, medium and long-term plans and goals.

2. Know that FOREVER change works from the inside out.
If you want forever change on the outside, you need to be forever different on the inside.
Not some temporary, manufactured, pseudo-change but real-deal internal change.
From today you need to think, choose, react, communicate and create different(ly).

3. Know that FOREVER change ain’t always easy or fun but it is always rewarding and amazing.
If you’re after easy… you may wanna (1) change that thinking or (2) get another goal.
As soon as we stop looking for easy and start looking for effective, then we start to see forever change.
It’s in the ‘doing’ that we get the growing and the changing.
Shortcuts are an illusion.
We’ve got more weight-loss shortcuts (available) than ever before… we’ve never been fatter.
We’re up to our neck in get-rich-quick schemes… we’ve never been more in debt.
Rest my case.

4. Plan for life beyond the emotion.
Once the euphoria, the excitement and hype die down… which they always do (to some extent), you need to cope with the (occasional) lack of motivation and drive.
Motivation (as we experience it) is temporary so we need to ‘do’ even when we don’ ‘feel’ like it.
Forever change ain’t about motivation; it’s about attitude, commitment, discipline, self-control and strength of character over time.

5. Get stuff done early in the day.
Being productive early gets your head where it needs to be for the day.
If it’s not convenient or practical, do it anyway.
Find a way.

6. Plan for life beyond the initial four weeks.
While your immediate focus is the GYST Challenge, forever change is about the next four decades, not the next four weeks.
The Challenge is the beginning.
It’s you opening the door to the rest of your life.

7. Lose your short-term mindset.
While many people are consciously focused on a short term goal or project, they are also subconsciously waiting for the finish line… so they can revert to ‘normal.’
While they want to change or break that habit, deep down they don’t actually believe it will be a forever thing… and therein lies the problem Grasshopper(s).
This ain’t another ‘phase’ or an ‘attempt’.
Unless you make it that.

8. Get absolute clarity and certainty about what you want.
Too many people are indecisive, fluffy, wishy-washy (it’s a word) and vague about what they want their future to look like.
Heading in ‘the general direction’ won’t get you to a destination.
Get clear and passionate about what you want for your life.

9. Do something out of character.
Shock yourself and others.
Be less predictable.
Be adventurous and ballsy.
Take a risk or five.
If you always do what you’ve always done… you’ll always get what you’ve always got.
So do different to create different.
Consistently.

10. Accountability.
Have something or someone to keep you honest.

Okay kids, the time is at hand.
Tarry not my brethren (and sisteren).
It’s a word.
Now.

* Have fun, do what you need to do… say hi and let me know where you’re from.