Often times we are challenged to think about what we are going to do to achieve a certain goal. We are asked what are we going to add to our lives to make that dream a reality or get that task done. Even in performance evaluations at work we are asked what are we going to add or do more of to meet our performance goals for the next year. I'm going to exercise. I'm going to read more. I'm going to schedule reading my emails between 9 and 10. So on and so forth.
But what are we NOT going to do?
This is not necessarily how we are trained to think. The block to attaining our goals is not always what we NEED to do. What we need to STOP doing is a significant factor. The are many distractions and time (...and emotion...and energy) wasters that we engage in weekly if not daily. These may come in the form of social media, food, television and even people. Adding something is usually a little easier to do than giving something (or someone) up because we have developed a taste and/or habit for it/them. Breaking a habit is not easy to do especially if it has become a part of your routine. Start paying attention to these things. I say start paying attention because many things we do without realizing it. How many times have you picked up your phone to check social media when you should be doing something else? Did you notice? How many times have you gotten a soda instead of drinking water? Did you notice? Or what about when you're checking work email and you end up on whateveryourfavoriteonlinestoreis.com?
Paying attention to these habits is the first step to breaking them. So ask yourself, "What am I NOT going to do".
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