So much of what we do is by habit. Each morning we jump into our car and head to work. We don’t think about turning onto Main Street then going three blocks west and turning left; we just do it. You’ve probably been surprised when you’ve found yourself somewhere, but you don’t remember driving there. All you know is that you’re clicking your key fob to lock the car doors.
Habits develop gradually. Deciding to take a new route would force you to think about every turn and the details along the way for a while, but this will eventually become a habitual routine too. Coming home from work, plopping down on the couch, watching the news, enjoying a cold beer, and following your buddies on social media could become the focal point of an entire evening, but over time, this pattern could become a habit.
Habitual behaviors can be challenging to change. For instance, you might aspire to start a new project, work on your business plan, or get into better shape, but until you break with your old routines, your counter-productive habits can become obstacles. You’ll find “great reasons” why you can’t begin today!
Motivator, author and self-help guru, Jim Rohn once said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I like this statement for two reasons, it just sounds right, and it’s precise. The message is that you should hang around with successful people.
For example, if your focus is to improve your business, then hang around successful business owners, even better, business owners that are more successful than you. Avoid getting wrapped up with negative social media or with people who complain about how bad things are. You know, people who continuously talk about the obstacles that keep getting in the way of their path to success – the things that provide them excuses for their failure.
One place you’ll be sure to find plenty of successful people to hang out with is at ATRA’s Powertrain Expo. The Expo is a perfect place to find a concentration of successful shop owners. The problem is that it only happens once a year, which hardly qualifies as a habit. However, it’s a great place to make acquaintances and build life-long friendships with other successful shop owners. In this age of supercharged communication, you can nurture friendships, share ideas, encourage each other regularly, and yes, even make it a habit.
There are other ways to meet successful people. Of course, attending ATRA chapter functions should be high on your list. You could also join a service club like Rotary, Lions, or Kiwanis. Plus, practically every town has a Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce that meets regularly. Organizations like these offer the benefit of frequently being with like-minded people who are looking to improve their lives, communities, and businesses.
You might also consider hiring a business or life coach. They’ll speak with you on a regularly scheduled basis to discuss action items and review the things covered during previous meetings. Even talking with someone just once a month can get you moving toward a new habit. Perhaps their most important task is that they hold you accountable and keep you on target.
Jim Cathcart, a world-renowned business trainer and contributing author for Gears Magazine, wrote a book called The Self-Motivation Handbook. In it, he talks about techniques to self-motivate your way into achieving projects and goals.
One of Jim’s personal examples that I especially liked was about when he wanted to get in better shape and lose some weight. He decided that running was an excellent way to accomplish his objective. He realized that he’d need to break his old pattern of not running and replace it with a new habit of running. His technique was to put on his running shoes and, at least, get to the street and touch the curb every day. That simple change in his routine helped him get started and to go further and further every day, eventually losing over 50 pounds.
If you’ve already formed the habit of hanging out with successful people, congratulations, if you haven’t, there’s no better time to start than today. It all begins with a single step. Just like Jim, put on your running shoes and touch the curb.
Also, if you’re one of the many who’ve made it a habit to attend the Powertrain Expo every year, keep it up. However, if you haven’t done so, this is the perfect year to start. Make your reservations today, and I’ll see you this October!
