I am gonna be really honest here.
I am lazy.
Well, maybe we all do. If there is a fast track to anything we probably would love to try.
Unfortunately in certain areas of life you still need to grind and put in the hard work, say starting a business or nurturing a relationship. There is no effective pill for success in that way.
However, since I am lazy and I can’t be bothered to waste time and energy on the wrong thing, I am a big fan of the Pareto Principle, a.k.a. the 80/20 rule. Generally before I commit to any process, I research and do a quick overview of the 20% of area I should focus on in order to yield 80% of the result. That might be called efficiency instead of laziness actually.
That doesn’t just apply on assignments and projects. I audit my routines on a regular basis and the 80/20 rule works too.
And you know what? To make massive changes in life, whether it be a change in career, getting those abs you dreamt of, or relocating to another country, the first step you need to take is a MINDSET SHIFT.
They say the longest distance in the world is from the head to the heart.
You might know you need to take certain actions in your head, but it takes a while for your consciousness to take in the information, settle it and start making a real change.
The one that sticks.
The one that you would do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Luckily, it doesn’t have to be difficult to start.
Here are 4 tiny habits that would yield at least 80% of the result once you implement them. No need to stress. They are quite manageable, really.
4 tiny habits to create massive mindset shifts
1/ count your blessings
By listing 3 things you are grateful for every day, you gradually shift your focus of life. Be more mindful of your environment, situation and mental state. You are exactly where you need to be.
I have been in a constant dissatisfaction stage for the longest period of time. I struggled a lot when I first started to do the gratitude journal. Slowly I started to realise I took a lot of things for granted.
Now, I am more grateful and calm about where I am at. I have learnt that happiness is a process, not a destination.
And that is a powerful mindset shift.
2/ read non-fiction books
We all know making mistakes is inevitable, especially if you are trying something new in a completely different industry or environment. The good thing about books is that someone has walked the same path before you, and they have summarised pretty much their lives in 300 pages for you so you don’t need to repeat the same mistakes. There is a lot of life advice to take in when you read non-fiction books, whether it be history, biographies or self-help category. Expanding worldview is also crucial in forming your knowledge and perspective about the world.
3/ I don’t vs I can’t
This is the powerful identity shift. You reaffirm you identity and mindset by changing this single word.
“I don’t do cheat meals.” or “I can’t eat that pack of chips.” Which one is more powerful?
Establishing your identity is the foundation of productivity and discipline. Because that is who you ARE. That’s why you just do the damn thing.
I don’t delay filming my video because I am a YouTuber.
I don’t publish that blog post late because I am a blogger.
4/ 1% tweak of routine task
You all know the compound effect. Being 1% better than yesterday would yield massive result as time goes.
For the recurring tasks that you do, for example weight lifting, video filming or monthly performance report, just try to be 1% better than last time you do it. There is no definite guideline on where you want to improve. It can be the layout, the sound quality, or the number of reps. It doesn’t seem much, but you will see results.
Final thoughts
Since habit means something you do regularly to a point you don’t even question doing it, it is implicitly bound by time.
Give yourself some time to try things out that work best for you. Give yourself some time to make improvement before checking for result. There is no pressure to rush. Because once you got the ball rolling, it is impossible to stop!