How to Make Lasting Change

Happy New Year!

And as we move into 2022, many of us are setting intentions / resolutions / goals with a fire in our belly because THIS is the year we are actually going to achieve them!

But in order to do so (sadly approximately 80% of people fail in achieving what they have set out to achieve), we need to understand that much of what we accomplish (or don’t accomplish) revolves around our habits.

I was watching the news last night, and feeling sick for all the businesses that have had to close down because of the latest rise in COVID cases. There was a photo of an empty gym, and my immediate reaction was that gyms will really be hit hard because they are missing out on their biggest month of the year – January – when everyone signs up and the gyms are packed… for three weeks.

When it comes to our health, more often than not we know what we are “supposed” to be doing. And if we don't, we have all the information we need at our fingertips. And then some.

This is the crazy part – even when we are suffering and have all the information we need:

We. Still. Don’t. Do. It.

Why is that?

Because change is hard! We are creatures of habit, even when we are uncomfortable. In the book, Change or Die, one example cites 1.5M people in the US with heart disease having undergone traumatic heart surgery to unblock arteries, and being told afterwards that if they didn’t change their lifestyle, the heart disease (which would eventually come back) could kill them.

90% of those people didn’t change their lifestyle.

The thought of change can be overwhelming. And we know we aren’t alone because so many books have been written on habits (critical for change), two of the most recent being the best selling books Atomic Habits by James Clear and Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg.

Back to setting New Years resolutions…

One (of many) things in Atomic Habits that resonated with me was James' perspective on the setting of goals (resolutions), and I’m hoping this perspective might be helpful for you going forward this year with respect to your health (or any area of your life).

Think about a health goal that you have set for this year. It could revolve around sleep, weight, exercise, stress reduction, nutrition… anything. And if you don’t have a health goal, then choose any goal you might have.

Goals vs Systems

From James’ perspective, goals are great at setting direction as they represent the result you want to achieve, but they aren’t necessarily helpful in achieving those results. It’s the systems you put in place that are key.

Systems are the processes you create that lead to the results you want. Not only that, systems build lasting change, aka new habits.

A goal is effectively a one-off solution - a momentary change.

For example, let’s say you set a goal of losing 10lbs in a month. You pull out all the stops - cut way back on food intake, start exercising daily, no wine for a month, etc. And bingo - you achieve it! Everyone notices of course – they comment on how great you look – and you feel like a million bucks. And yet slowly but surely the weight creeps back.

That’s because you haven’t made any real, lasting change. You haven’t really created any new habits over that short period of time. Not only that, there is a good chance you have felt deprived during the month and can’t wait for that first glass of wine (or two)!

Let’s try to lose 10lbs with a system (a realistic system) in place. Obviously systems are very personal, but it may include no snacking in the evening, going out for a 20 min walk every morning and following the 80/20 rule when it comes to eating a meal (eating until you are 80% full). And for good measure, you may include having a strategy for what happens when you miss a day or two of these small, incremental changes you are making.

Over time, you will lose weight. You may not notice after a month, but perhaps after three months it becomes apparent. People will assume it all happened suddenly, but you know that’s not the case. That’s what your system was all about - small, purposeful, incremental changes.

Small incremental changes

In order to effect meaningful change, it’s very tough to “go big”. For most people, it’s best to incorporate small, incremental changes over time as part of “system” or set of processes to achieve what you want to achieve.

These small little habits appear to make no difference in the short term, but over time (and what can appear to the outside world as “suddenly”) a breakthrough occurs. It’s like compounding interest –the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them.

The dreaded plateau

But here-in lies the challenge – the fact that these small, incremental changes don’t reveal their benefits in the short term. If we are fixated on a goal (losing 10lbs) and after 3 weeks we haven’t seen any change, then it’s easy to give up. You want to throw in the towel.

Here again is where having a system is key. If you are solely focused on the goal, you will think you have failed and potentially give up. But if you have stuck with the system you have put in place, then trust you are going in the right direction and it will pay off in the long run. Ultimately, habits need to persist long enough to break through the plateau.

The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding. James Clear has done the math – if you can get 1 percent better each day for a year, you will end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done. Not only that, you will have created new habits that are there forever – and like any habit you do for long enough, you won’t even think about it.

I can say all this because I’ve been there and experienced it. I spent years and years going on every diet imaginable, and it was only when I stopped my bouts of dieting (in between the bouts where I would either graze all day or binge eat) and implemented a system of eating three meals a day. That's it. And over time, everything started to fall into place. And then I made some more incremental changes - but only when I was ready for them.

Note this could be about starting a business, writing a book, running a marathon, or learning a new language.

So as we move into 2022, and are excited about all the goals / intentions / resolutions we have set, remember that it’s the systems we put in place that are key. They will help us develop the new habits critical to our success, and at the same time create lasting change.

Let's do this!

Gillian xx
PS - for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area, my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset is up and running. It's a fantastic way to get the therapeutic benefits of a walk in nature while getting personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. Let me help you set some goals and put some systems in place to make 2022 a stellar year!