"Feelings, and feelings and feelings. Let me try thinking instead." ~C.S. Lewis
As sentient beings, our feelings wield remarkable influence over our behaviors and, therefore, our lives.
As covered in a prior episode (Feelings and Focus), how well you concentrate and focus, at any given moment, is most often directly tied to your feelings.
Our ability to manage, channel, and master our emotions has a powerful effect on our ability to achieve our long-term goals—as well as guide new habit formation.
Today's episode offers a powerful reminder: What we do from one moment to the next, if we're not aware, is often guided by our feelings.
This understanding of feelings is both GOOD and BAD news.
The bad news: Behavior change and goal achievement efforts can be sabotaged for those who are unaware of their emotional states.
The good news is actually two-fold. First, feelings are ephemeral—they do not last very long. Secondly, with practice, we have the ability to master and channel our feelings to empower our behavior change and goal achievement efforts.
By managing the stories we tell ourselves at any given moment, we can alter our feelings about nearly any behavior change effort.
By asking a few critical questions, you can better guide your emotions to support and align your behaviors to your goals.
Questions to ask habitually:
1) How do I feel right now? Do I think I can modify that feeling by changing my environment and/or revisiting the story I'm telling myself?
2) How do I feel about the behavior/habit I'm planning to track?
3) Does the effort inspire me, or is it dreadful?
4) What story could I tell myself about the successful outcome of my goal or behavior change effort to fully inspire my emotions to take positive action?
The beauty is, by following The Habit Factor's P.A.R.R. methodology for habit development, you already have a PLAN in place and "Target Days" set for tracking new habits.
This alone has the ability to minimize unfavorable feelings that may not be supporting your habit change efforts.
By Planning, Acting, Recording, and Reassessing the core, related behaviors (habits), you also begin to align your emotions with your most important goals.
Enjoy the episode!
How much do you really know about habits and goals? Check out the Habits & Goals Mastery course, NOW ON-DEMAND! Visit: https://thehabitfactor.com/challenge
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TOOLS/BOOKS WE RECOMMEND:
Bucket List PRO (iOS app) iTunes Grab your FREE copy of As a Man Thinketh (PDF) right here: As a Man Thinketh
The 3 C's of SucCcess (Mitch W. Steel) The Psychology of Achievement (Brian Tracy)
The Power of Positive Thinking (Norman Vincent Peale)
The Magic of Thinking BIG! (David Schwartz)
Think & Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill)
The Success Principles (Jack Canfield)
Getting Things Done! (Allen's Great Book!)
**HABIT FACTOR RESOURCES!!**
(FREE! The Habit Factor's Tracking Template)
The Habit Factor® (website: BLOG, tips, tools, and other resources)
The Habit Factor® Book (Amazon Kindle)
The Pressure Paradox® Book (Amazon Kindle)
The Habit Factor app (iOS, Android)
**WEBINARS**
Master Your Feelings