I am a habitual person.  Doing things over and over gives me comfort in my routines.  I like the familiarity and solace they provide. Don’t get me wrong, I also like variety and spontaneity.  For me, it is like coming home from a wonderful vacation.  You have wonderful memories and experiences, but it is comforting to get back to the familiar daily routine.  However, I do wonder if my habits are hindering my achievements in other areas because success can be altered by old routine patterns of behavior.

Behavior Patterns

Routine patterns of behavior are hard to change even when you recognize them. It is easier to stay on the existing path than it is to build a new one.  We repeat the patterns because that is what we know. But it is not impossible to build a new path or pattern of behavior. It takes time but if we keep coming back to it, the new pattern will become familiar over time. Berating oneself or feeling frustrated do not help. This is where compassion and patience come to play. Compassion for our attempts and patience as we keep practicing the new habit. When we fall off the wagon we get back up and try again and again. Instant change is NOT an expectation.

Example/Story

This reminds me of a principal I work with. She is happy with her teacher team but was trying to move them toward asking more questions during instruction instead of telling students everything. 

She is frustrated with the lack of movement in this area with the team.  As we continued to talk and problem solve, we looked at some data and found that:

• During her team meetings, she modeled telling the teachers information
• Written agendas gave logistics and procedures
• There was little room for questions and discussion

She was amazed by this discovery.  She did not realize that her old ways of doing things were hindering what she was trying to teach and model for her teachers.  The teachers were confused because she was saying one thing but modeling the exact opposite. Now that she is aware of her old patterns, she is working on asking more questions and giving more time for group discussion. 

What goal are you working on?  Since success can be altered by old routine patterns of behavior, are old routines hindering your success? It is helpful to reflect to find what can be getting you off track.