It is all very well to define the lessons we learn, but they are never truly learned until we have implemented them. Putting the lessons into place so they change your future outcome for the better involves change of some kind. What change? How? Read on.
In the last GrowFARM Connector, we discussed reviewing progress and taking the lessons. This is really the first step in a process that takes place over your lifetime. The next step is all about making sure you “Get It.”
Getting the lesson means taking it to heart to drive new actions and always involves a change in thinking first. If the review process is done well you will have an emotional stake in a new outcome e.g. not wanting to repeat the old outcome whatsoever! The difference between the old outcome and the potential new outcome must be large enough to move you beyond logic and into an uncomfortable position. Therefore, get comfortable with being uncomfortable! You must start moving to a new way of thinking or you will repeat the same old actions – the lessons will not have been learned.
New Thinking is formed after asking the questions from the previous article, such as “how can I do this better?” or “how can I ensure I repeat this method” (if the result was far better than expected). Search for the answers and don’t stop until you have some that allow you to move onwards and upwards.
New Habits are crucial for you to move ahead and enable the outcomes you really want and need. Habits are thoughts, words and actions that happen automatically. It actually takes mental energy and effort to form new habits and involves the repetition of suggestion of the new outcome. This could be in the form of repeated conscious thought, repeated reading of statements or paragraphs, repeated viewing of the outcome in picture or visual format and repeated self talk. Repeated positive discussion with those trusted individuals who have your best interests at heart as well as actually carrying out the new actions are also crucial. New actions must occur as soon as possible or you will lose the lesson.
Always be open to new learning and opportunities. This trains the mind to search for answers regardless of whether you are conscious of it or not. You will begin to “see” opportunities that you couldn’t before, not because they weren’t there but because you were previously blind to them.
Commit to continual improvement to keep the momentum up! It all works much better with momentum and this involves continuing to carry out the new lessons. You actually increase your chances of delivering far better and more consistent results. You can make adjustments as you go of course and the biggest benefit of committing to continual improvement is that in your mind the new successful methods leave no room or possibility for the old unsuccessful methods. Remember, old successful methods and principles should be focussed on too – just make sure you cull the unsuccessful ones out!
Above all, focus on what is most important to make sure you implement the right lessons. There are too many things to list that you could be doing, and you can do anything – just not everything! That focus means you don’t waste time on irrelevant stuff and the new outcomes you really want have a much higher chance of being achieved. Click here to read the article Drafting up the current situation and prioritising to learn more.
You owe it to yourself to get good at this stuff. Why? Because your future depends on it! Will you take the lessons that you need, and implement them right now?