Build better habits (the ones that stick)

Everyday Leadership for Smart Women

Habits are the invisible architecture of daily life. We repeat about 40 percent of our behaviour almost daily, so our habits shape our existence, and our future. ~Gretchen Rubin

>> SHOW NOTES: http://stephaniepollock.com/rwc068

Let’s talk habits.

There’s a lot of talk at this time of year about resolutions, goal-setting and forming better habits. Because we all want to live better and work better, right?

But what does it actually take to build a habit that sticks – one that goes from being hard to keep up into one that’s as easy as brushing your teeth? One you no longer have to decide if you’re going to do, you just do it.

In this episode, I break down my own habit-building process – looking at why I was able to make two big habits stick in 2018 (reading 60 books and getting up most mornings at 4:30 am) while two other habits (working out and showing up regularly on social media) didn’t stick at all.

If you’d like to find a different approach to habit-building, specifically one that doesn’t require high degrees of discipline or willpower, listen in.

This approach to habit formation was a big ‘aha’ for me and will now serve as my way forward as I make other life and work changes, including giving my workouts and social media posting another go.

Enjoy the episode!

Recommended Resources:

How to read more and better in 2017

Human Venture Institute

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Sustaining vs Striving: what’s the best way forward (RwC #067)

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Follow me on GoodReads

Post about showing up on Instagram

Don’t break the chain

Habit Tracker PDF

Sign up to receive my weekly Leadership Letters

Book a Breakthrough Session with me to talk about how to do work that matters this year

Join me on Instagram here or on Twitter here and use the hashtag #risewithoutcompromise

Learnings, Practices & Celebrations:

I’m gathering your stories and insights into what you’re learning, practicing and celebrating. I’ll be sharing them on upcoming episodes as a way to showcase the small and big wins that often get overlooked as we go in search of what’s next.

If you’re particularly proud of something you accomplished or a hurdle you overcame, or if you’re practicing something that’s strengthening your leadership and impact, or if you’ve had a recent aha (as I share in today’s episode), please email me and let me know.

You can choose to stay anonymous (just let me know in your email) or I can give you a shout-out on the show. My goal is to pay reverence and respect to all the steps along the way to creating a life and work we can be proud of. You never know who you may inspire.

Submit your story (1-4 paragraphs) here. Thank you!