Key Takeaways

• When we look at goals we set for ourselves, they sometimes seem very difficult to achieve.
• By breaking goals down into small changes, they appear more manageable.
• Repeat those small changes until they become habits and you meet your goals.

If you set out to read 30 books in a year, it may seem a bit daunting. You might try reading one book in a sitting, then decide you simply don’t have the time to do that on a regular basis. You then give up on the goal altogether.

But what if you told yourself you would commit to reading just 20 pages every day? On days where you don’t have as much time, maybe you read 10, but on other days you read 30, just keeping that cadence of 20 pages on average each day. Over the course of a year, you’d reach that goal of reading 30 books.

Reaching goals through small changes is the topic of the book, Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. He points out that if you want to make changes, break your goals down into simple things, because they’re easier to accomplish and more likely to be something you’ll stick to. They’ll become tiny habits that will eventually help you move forward and reach your goals.

Some examples include:

• Perhaps you want to become more physically active. Try doing something simple, like walking for 30 minutes every day. By the end of the year, you’ll have walked 500 miles!
• If you want to cut down on alcohol consumption, try cutting out just one glass of wine or one beer each week. Over the course of a year, that’s 10 fewer bottles of wine and a couple of cases of beer.
• If you’re always forgetting to take your daily vitamins, place them somewhere visible, like your desk. Make it a tiny habit to take a vitamin each morning, as you get ready to work.
• Instead of reaching for a vague goal of eating healthier, make a few specific, easy-to-achieve changes. Replace dessert with a piece of fruit twice a week. Incorporate one additional salad into your diet every week.
• Walk the golf course once a week, instead of riding in a cart.

These are all simple, small changes, but the key is consistency. You can apply this to any number of goals, and if you stick with these tiny habits, you’ll see results over time. Hopefully, this can help you get better at whatever you’re aiming to do. Until next time, enjoy.

Gary

If you’d like to read more on this topic, here are a few of our past Coyle Blog posts that you might enjoy:

5 Habits That Need Changing

Timeless Habits That Can Apply Anywhere in Your Life

Gary Klaben serves as a Financial Advisor, and visionary for Coyle Financial Counsel. He has over 30 years of experience and is the author of Changing the Conversation, Wealth of Everything and co-author of The Business Battlefield.  Whether advising his clients, mentoring his team, or coaching entrepreneurs, he is always simplifying complexity and motivating others to take the next action that’s right for them.

Learn more about The Coyle Process, approach designed to get your arms around the big picture, so you can make informed financial decisions. Ask Gary about The Coyle Process and schedule a complimentary consultation and start living the Good Life Managed Well™.

www.coylefinancial.com
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