The Key to Making Big Changes

This idea could change your life. I did for me.

If you could get yourself to do the things that you know will make you happy or bring you success, you would be happy and successful. But, like most of us, we know what we need to do...but we don't do it. There are all kinds or reasons and excuses. The bottom line is not that we don't have the ability, it's that we don't have the right thinking. 

For years I wanted to stop eating meat, fish, cheese, eggs. I had all the reasons. Health, environment, compassion for animals. Try as I might I never succeeded. Then I had this idea. I call it brainwashing myself, which my daughter Angela instructed me that that was too negative a term. So, let's call it reconditioning my mind. 

The great thing in our modern world is that you don't need anyone to help you, or do it for you. You do it yourself. It's easy. It's fast. It's simple. It works.  And it doesn't take up a lot of time.

Back when I wanted to change my diet I considered ideas that I learned back in grad school working on my doctorate. Putting together concepts regarding motivation and changing habits, I hit on the idea of using youtube to "recondition" my mind. Knowing that if I could change my mind, that would lead to a change in behavior and actions.  

Every morning, for about 10 minutes, I would watch a youtube video on all the reasons not to eat animal products. (This was for avoidance conditioning.) Every evening, for 10 minutes, I would watch a video on what to eat instead. (This was for attraction conditioning.)

I began to detest the idea of eating animal flesh. I began to discover alternative meals that were delicious. (Who would have thought Indian food could be so good?) It worked. It wasn't painful. It wasn't difficult. I changed my mind and it didn't take willpower or work to change my behavior. 

The videos not only work on your emotions, they give you great ideas and the wisdom of the community of others who want the same as you. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. It's already done for you. The research, the answers, the science, the experiences.

Recently I had been struggling with my running. I love running. For years I ran 5 miles every day. Over the past 3 or 4 years different issues came up which prevented me from doing the 5 miles. And every time I tried to recondition myself I couldn't get there. I would get tired and stop after 2 or 3 miles. And every run was a struggle. 

At first I thought maybe it was because I was now 65 years old. Too old to run 5 miles a day. But, I could see that other people were running marathons and were older than me. No, it wasn't physical, it was mental. And I remembered what I did to change my diet. 

Back on youtube I watched running videos. This time I added a books and articles to read. I had to get back to running. The videos inspired me, books gave me new ideas on what to do. I am happy to say that it worked like a charm. In fact, I'm so excited about running again I'm looking at training for a marathon. 

I am convinced there is no other way so easy to change your life to get what you want with so little effort.  Some of you will think what a sweet little article and idea, and then forget about it, because even 20 minutes a day is too much work for you, too high a price. But, some of you will give it a try and be amazed that you can change your life. What do you want? Go for it!