1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to create a very clear picture of 4 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: what done looks like. You'll be more motivated to achieve 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: your goals if you can see vividly what the outcome 6 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: will be. Today's tip, like another this week, comes from 7 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:37,160 Speaker 1: Greg McEwen's new book Effortless. This book looks at ways 8 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: to make important actions automatic or at least easy. Gregg 9 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: points out that we often set very vague goals, you know, 10 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: the sort, lose weight, read more books. The problem is 11 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: that we have no idea what done looks like, and 12 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: so it's hard to feel a motivating sense of progress 13 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: an accomplishment. So he suggests creating a vivid image of 14 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: what done would look like for you. For instance, someone 15 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: trying to lose weight might picture done as I look 16 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: down at the weighing scale and see the number one 17 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: seven staring back at me. Someone trying to read big 18 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: important books might say done is on my digital reader. 19 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: It will say finished next to war in Peace. Someone 20 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: trying to walk more might decide that done is to 21 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: reach ten thousand steps a day on my fitbit for 22 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: fourteen days in a row, Greg writes, and someone trying 23 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: to launch a product might instead view an intermediate version 24 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: of done, as have ten beta users try the app 25 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: for a week and give feedback. The upside of these 26 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: visions of done is that they are very, very specific. 27 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: By giving your mind clear instructions, Greg says, things click 28 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: into gear and you can begin charting, of course toward 29 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: that in state. The good news is that creating this 30 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: vision really doesn't take long, Greg betts, you can do 31 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: it in about sixty seconds. So think of a goal 32 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: you've been pondering for a while. Launching a podcast, eating healthier, 33 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: building a better relationship with your neighbor. These are all 34 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: great ideas in any case, take one or two of 35 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: them and write them down. Then, next to this nice, 36 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: but let's face it, vague goal, write a specific vision 37 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: for what done would look like. Maybe done for eating 38 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: Healthier is that you've eaten five servings of fruits and 39 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,119 Speaker 1: vegetables every day for a week. Or with the better 40 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: relationship with the neighbor, you chat with your neighbor for 41 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: at least ten minutes each week and make a point 42 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: of saying hello every time you see him. When you 43 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: have a picture of done, you'll also know when you 44 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: are done. Then you can decide to re up the 45 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: goal if you want change it, or maybe be content 46 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: with where you are. But either way you'll get a 47 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: sense of accomplishment and that can motivate you to two 48 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: more great things in the future. In the meantime, this 49 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 50 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear 51 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 52 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 53 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's B the number four, 54 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: then Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me 55 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media 56 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all 57 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying 58 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. 59 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the I 60 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 61 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.