What Motivates Us To Change?

 Why does it seem so much easier for some people to make changes than others?

…Some people seem to have a high level of motivation to accomplish tasks, make changes, and reach goals, while others never seem to get past the dreaming stage. In the book, “Rewire: Change Your Brain” by Richard O’Connor, he says that neuroscientists can see the physical existence of our bad habits in our brains which have become our default circuits.

So, we tend to keep doing what we’ve always done even if the results are negative; however the more successful we have been in the past the more likely we are to be successful in making a lasting change in the future because of the default circuits.

Often times we look at people that are highly motivated and think they must have an extra gene that makes them more motivated or have more will power, but “will power is not something you either have or don’t, like blue eyes. Instead, it’s a skill like tennis or typing. You have to train your nervous system as you would train your muscles and reflexes” says O’Connor.

Each time we practice the new habit, it becomes easier to do. Neuroscientists are able to see new nerve connections grow as we repeat a habit. Therefore the more we do something, the more hard-wired our brains become and the easier it is to do it. O’Connor also states “our brains can change and grow physically due to life experiences” and that “habits become easier”.

We become motivated to change only when we view a habit as a problem and weigh the cost of change more positively than not changing. And even then we often can’t commit to change. For example, when you want to lose weight, you are motivated to start an exercise routine. This change would help you get closer to your goal, and would have tangible results, but it’s still hard to commit.  According to Brian Tracy in his book “Full Engagement”, the “single biggest obstacle to success, happiness, performance, and productivity, is fear”. These fears leave us incapable of doing something new for fear of failure and if we do start to change, we are tempted to regress to our old habits for fear of looking stupid and being embarrassed. Tracy suggests that we can overcome our fears by canceling out our negative thoughts by repeating the phrase “I can do it” every time we think “I can’t”. So, if you were not exercising because you were afraid that it would be too challenging or difficult, make an effort to cancel out your negative thoughts and over time, you will overcome your fear.

To get started on making lasting changes, decide what’s most important to you. Let’s face it, no one can make you change and in order for the change to be lasting it has to be something that’s important to you. Once you decide on what you’d like to change, then find someone that you trust and believes in you to hold you accountable. An accountability partner will be there to cheer you on and help you to overcome your fears while the circuits in your brain are being rewritten for future success.

We are all born with the power to make changes and reach our goals, we just have to teach ourselves to do it! 

What motivates you?

What is one thing you could do to make a positive change in your life?

Have you put used any of the above practices?

Comment below…