Switch 02: Find the Bright Spots (Chip & Dan Heath)

There are many facts and figures paraded by the personal development industry: What to read and what not to read, how much to sleep, complete your studies or drop out, digital business or physical business, etc. but most of it si not worth much. It doesn’t help you get the results you want.

But then again, there are many more people who are in great financial shape, who are healthy and living well. If they can do it, why can’t you? Since success leaves clues, why can’t we replicate these successful behaviors and achieve these results ourselves?

Sometimes motivation is not enough, we need direction. We know we need to spend less. We know we need to invest more. We know we need to build a business. But we don’t know how. What are the exact steps to take to go from misery to happiness?

I was told that if you’re not achieving the result you want, there must be something you don’t quite know. Is there a different way to think about the conventional wisdom? Is there anything you can do differently than you’re doing now? Can you look around you and find someone who has achieved the result you want and model their actions?

As we all know, knowledge is not enough. If you want things to change, you have to start acting differently. Knowledge doesn’t change behavior. You must practice new habits that will move you towards your goals.

The morale of this chapter is simply this: find a mentor who can guide you to the result you want. Seek out that first win. Create that small win in your behavior and expand it. Create positive momentum and build on it. Focus on the things you’re doing right instead of all the things that are going wrong.

To make progress on a change you need to have a specific destination in mind.  You need to have a direction you intend to move towards. That’s why small wins are so essential. They give you hope and faith that your goal is achievable, and they give you confidence that you are on the right track. They help you focus more on the solution than on the problem.  Positive momentum builds confidence. Confidence gives you the courage and resourcefulness to continue on until you succeed. Whereas focusing on problems only brings you stress and worry – none of which lead to forward momentum.

Focus on the small wins: downloading the associated workbook and doing the exercises so you can have clarity is a small win. Taking action on the identified changes is a small win. Signing up for the Dollar Success Club and starting your digital business today is a small win. Finding a coach, accountability partner to keep you on track is a small win.

Small wins not only give you momentum, they also give you hope and confidence. If you’re not achieving your intended results right now, what could you do differently to get that first win?

What’s working in your life right now, and how can you do more of it?

Keep searching for those small wins. Make the most of your strengths instead of agonizing incessantly over your weaknesses.