Tony Schwartz (of The Power of Full Engagement and The Energy Project) recently brought new words of wisdom to the whole concept of achieving goals. He believes we focus too much on self-discipline as the path to success. So if you’re like many of us and the excitement of your New Year’s goals is over, or as BB King would say, “the thrill is gone,” then you may want to read on.
Schwartz suggests that instead of relying on willpower, we establish a “ritual” that will eventually turn into a habit. All of us have good and bad habits – some conscious (like checking my schedule upon entering my office in the morning) or unconscious (like turning to food when tired or upset). Habits can develop without our knowing it. Rituals, unlike habits, are created with deliberate intention and concentration which brings focus to whatever we’re choosing to add or change in our lives. In order to be successful, rituals demand mindfulness right from the start.
I invite you to select one ritual that would support an important intention and be very mindful as you schedule or begin working on it. For example, assuming your goal is to exercise regularly, make a ritual out of laying out your work-out clothes and sneakers before you get into bed. I’ve created a ritual to focus me on my prayerful meditations- something I want to develop into a daily habit. Each morning, as soon as I’ve poured my cup of coffee, I take it into my office and light a candle to focus me on my prayerful meditation time. The candle reminds me that I’m not in there to check my email, but rather to sit in my lovely chair, read some meaningful material as I sip, and then center on meditating. When I’m done, I blow out the candle.
Take a few minutes to think about how you can use the power of rituals in your daily life to enrich an area to which you want to bring more attention. You’ll be glad you did!
