For more than a dozen years, I’ve written about habits and time management for Fast Company, Entrepreneur, and Inc.magazines. The stories often earn some of the sites’ highest page views. It seems like we’re all interested in getting more done in less time.
But what are you doing with the time you save? If it’s adding more work to your plate, you may be missing an opportunity. What if you made time for WOWs every day?
While having more WOWs would be fun, many of us don’t make the effort. We rely upon motivation, and motivation runs out. Or we think we’ll do it someday soon, but the future isn’t guaranteed. If you want to put more WOWs into your life, you must make it a habit.
Earlier this year, I interviewed Jeremy Campbell, CEO of Black Isle Group, performance improvement consultants, for a story about habits over resolutions. He told me, “We’re still very prehistoric in terms of how we’re wired. We’re programmed to be more negative and to find reasons not to do things.”
Sound familiar? It does to me. Instead, you can start a WOW! habit by following these five steps.
1. Be clear about your goal. Saying you want to put more WOWs into your life is a good start, but if you want to be successful, you’ll need to get specific about what ‘WOW!’ means to you. Maybe it’s adding experiences. Or perhaps it’s looking at the world with a sense of wonder. Or you might want to work on strengthening connections to others.
“The clearer you are on the output you’re after, the better your chance of reaching it,” Jeremy said.
2. Identify the first step. When we set a goal, most of us tend to go overboard, wanting to do too much all at once. That can lead to burnout fast. Instead, focus on the first step, especially if your goal is big, and determine what you need to achieve a WOW!
For example, if your WOW! is to run a marathon, the first step can be to create a realistic running schedule. Or, if you want to put more small adventures into your life, a good first step is to follow newsletters and blogs in your area that promote activities. Jeremy said that breaking down a big goal into smaller actions helps you become more likely to stick with it.
3. Record your commitment and action. The third step is to measure what you do. Put your WOW! on your to-do list. Know what and when you’ll do it and how you’ll know if you’re successful. Planning and measuring increase the odds you’ll be successful.
This step has been critical to me. Without a plan, I’d default to routine activities, like watching TV or scrolling social media, neither of which would create a WOW! Moment.
4. Be consistent. It can be tempting to take a one-and-done approach. If you want to build a life of WOWs, however, you’ll need more than that. Consistency puts money into your self-esteem bank account, Jeremy said.
“The more consistent you are with your actions, the more you start trusting yourself,” he told me in our interview. “This is where the habit starts to form because it becomes part of who you are and what you do.”
5. Share and celebrate your WOWs. When you do something fun, celebrate it! WOW! Moments, especially those that push you outside your comfort zone, are victories. Take time to honor yourself and the energy it took to create the WOW!
“Human beings often focus on the things that haven’t gone well,” Jeremy told me. “By celebrating your victories, you’ll find motivation to keep going.”
Also, consider posting your experiences on social media. WOWs are contagious. Sharing yours can inspire others to create their WOW! habit.
Habits are the foundation for life. They can be good, and they can be bad. Why not make WOWs a habit for you? It can help you create a life of adventure and fun.
In the busy-ness of daily life, I never stop to celebrate. Well, rarely. This is great advice, and would definitely make life more enjoyable! Making notes to say NO to more things and YES to appreciating wow moments, and creating them. Thank you for sharing this!