You want to change your life faster. But were do you start? What is the smartest and easiest way to do it? I know people claim it but like for real.
I asked myself this question a while ago. And have spent years learning how to use systems thinking approach, that I learned in school, to build a balanced life regardless on so many responsibilities that comes with being an adult. It worked for me. I am excited to share it with you.
So here are 2 simple steps & some tips to help you change your life faster without wasting extra of your precious time, energy, and attention.
Keystone Habit: What is it?
Starting the journey of personal transformation requires a strategic approach, and the key lies in identifying and focusing on what is known as a “keystone habit.”
But what exactly is a keystone habit? At its core, it has this remarkable ability to trigger a snowballing effect, influencing multiple aspects of your life positively. It acts as the catalyst for a chain reaction, leading to wholistic and sustainable change.
The Overload Trap: What a Keystone Habit Isn’t
Now, picture this: trying to fix everything in your life all at once—your health, getting your money right, and working on your relationships. Sounds like a lot, right? Well, doing all that can stress you out big time, leading to giving up before you even get started.
Burnout and feeling overwhelmed happen when you spread yourself too thin, thinking you can tackle everything simultaneously.
The truth is lasting change doesn’t happen when you’re juggling a million things at once. It’s like pouring your time, energy, and focus into a black hole. It might feel like you’re doing a lot, but the results? Not so much.
In a Nutshell: Finding Your Way Forward
A keystone habit is your go-to, your starting point for change that actually sticks. It’s the opposite of trying to fix everything all at once. Understanding that everyone’s keystone habit is unique is the game-changer. Avoiding the burnout trap becomes way easier when you’re tuned into what works best for you.
Step One: Identifying Your Starting Point
So how do you figure out where you want to begin?
I use my categorization method to group life’s responsibilities into just 3 areas
- Finances (making, saving, and investing money)
- Relationships (people who are close to you)
- and yourself (body, mind, soul)
They all demand your attention and leaving one of doesn’t become an option as you get older.
Now, here’s the twist—you’ve got the most power over just one area: yourself.
Whether we’re talking about how much cash you’re making/saving, how you navigate relationships, or how you’re treating your body, mind, soul, and all that knowledge you’ve got, it boils down to you.
So, the smart move? Start with doing regular self-work. If you’ve ever tried to pick up a good habit like cooking or working out (or maybe kicking a not-so-great one like snacking on chips and chocolate), you know firsthand that doing the work on yourself isn’t a walk in the park.
Often times, it is way harder because we don’t understand that there is a any easier way to building good habits that can make you happier now (and of course later).
Step Two: Unveiling the Habit Loop
You might have come across this concept before, but let’s clear up a common misunderstanding.
A ton of advice out there focuses on changing your behavior but that is the wrong focus for long term change. The real game-changer is figuring out your trigger.
Here’s is an example
I was on a mission to declutter my space. But no matter how much effort I put in, my space was always a mess. It hit me—I didn’t really get why I was doing it or what I was to do. So, I dived into some books, especially those by the minimalist guys and Japanese minimalists. And guess what? My mindset did a 180.
Once I cracked the habit loop, I pinpointed my trigger: I hated cleaning, especially with a young family of two boy toddlers under 3 years old.
I started shifting my mindset from “I have to clean because it is my job as a mom and a wife” to embracing the benefits to my day to day life – and it made all the difference. Cleaning became way more doable, and the clutter started to vanish. I save about 30% more time than before by just declutter.
So, the real magic happens when you grasp, and more importantly, let go of beliefs that heap on stress and pressure. Your habits, your routines, your whole life starts changing almost like magic. It’s all in the understanding and unlearning.
In conclusion
Getting 80% of solving any of you life’s challenges start within your mind. And the mind is the trigger for any habit loop you have formed. Identifying this keystone area can have a dramatic and lasting impact on your life.
So forget the pressure and stress of achieving a goal/habit instantly. And focus instead on consistent regular mind habits, create a lifestyle, to shape your day-to-day actions. Because it will start transforming your beliefs to your identity, mission, thoughts and feelings so you can face any challenge that will come to you.
I have several free resources to help you on this journey as well as a guide step by step goal planner to a habit systems minicourse to help you deeply understand mindset & how to build an action plan to master any habit.
If you found these tips helpful make sure to follow me on Instagram (daily stories and updates on next post).
Stay tuned for my next post: Why Life Changing Habits Are So Hard to Master & Boosting Your Odds by 80% of success
Until next time, peace.