Cast a vote for who you are becoming

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, says whenever you are building a new habit, you are casting a vote for the person you want to become.

Creating new habits forms neurological connections in your brain. This is because of the nature of plasticity in the brain.

You can practice your way into a new habit, and your brain and heart will follow. 

Over time, the new habit, which required your conscious choice to begin, becomes automatic and no longer requires a choice.

This is true for creating your environment, too. 

When you set up your environment to support you in your goals and remove anything that stands in the way of your goals, you are casting another vote for the person you want to become.

When you set up your environment to support your goals, you remove the need for willpower. 

Said another way, anything that would sabotage your efforts has already been removed so the choice has already been made.

The decisions you make, even small ones like the choice to go for a run or, even smaller, the tone of voice you use with someone at work, shape the kind of person you are.

If you haven’t yet thought about the kind of person you want to be, your decisions may not align with your future self.

Photo by Ian Turnell on Pexels

So take a moment and check in. 

How would you complete this sentence stem: “I’m the kind of person who…”

What kinds of habits does that kind of person have?

What environment supports them in creating their future self?

The answers to these last two questions just became your action plan.

Go take the first tiny step.

Your future self depends on it.

Love,

Audrey