Achieving Greatness! requires change. For this and the next seven posts we are going to see how the methods we teach at Great! All the Time! stack up against the teachings of probably the Greatest Changeologist in the world.
John C. Norcross, Ph.D. states in Changeology that following his scientific program outlined therein can increase your chance of success in changing what you want to change and experience lasting results within 90 days and without drugs or other types of formal treatment.
He has identified five distinct stages of behavior change, which he has simplified to just five straightforward steps for the unbelievably low, low price of three decades of scientific research and millions of dollars of funding.
Regardless of the range of behaviors one seeks to change, the process of change is constant. So, apparently, is the time it takes to make practically perfect (i.e. permanent) changes. That time is 90 days. According to Norcross, 75% of the people seeking to change fail, but almost all who maintain their change for three months make the change permanent.
Proper preparation (one of the early P’s in our P10 Principle) and genuine self-confidence (one of our life’s precious emotional resources) are the two key components of successful change, along with enthusiasm, passion, and confidence (more emotional resources), and the support of an additional person or two (people being the last in our list of life’s precious resources). Plus, true awareness of your goals (perception being the second P of our P10 Principle) and voluntarily pursuing the change you desire (such proaction being the first P of our P10 Principle). People who bring all these things to the table can effect their desired change without professional assistance, taking anything, or joining support groups. But, you can use those things if you feel the need. (We heartily agree!)
Spoiler Alert! Okay, it’s not really a spoiler alert. It’s just what you mother always told you to do before you dig into the meat and potatoes of any new book. It’s the table of contents. So, just to get you ready for the next week or two of posts, we are going to flow through the following 8 posts in this series leading up to, covering, and following the 5 Stages of Change and 5 Steps to Realizing Your Goals and Resolutions:
The Science
The Keys
Step 1: Psych: Getting Ready
Step 2: Prep: Planning Before Leaping
Step 3: Perspire: Taking Action
Step 4: Persevere: Managing Slips
Step 5: Persist: Maintaining Change
Epilogue: The Adaptation of Changeology
Note these five steps closely track the Proaction, Perception, Planning, Preparation, Practice, and Persistence P’s of the P10 Principle. Maybe we were on the right track when we developed that P10 thing.
I can’t wait to read your feedback as you read Changeology with me. (Note, the links on Changeology are affiliate links. If you buy the book from Amazon on my recommendation, it will not cost you one cent more to use my link than it would to go to Amazon.com and buy the book all by yourself. But if you do use the link, I will pick up pennies on your purchase, which does help underwrite our Greatness! work here at Great! All the Time!)
[reminder]If you could change anything you do, what would it be?[/reminder]