1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to use the image of a change 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 1: jar to inspire you to stick with good habits. We'd 5 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: all like to make good choices. The trouble is that 6 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: there's often no immediate benefit. Sure, choosing broccoli over potato 7 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: chips at lunch might have long term health benefits. But 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: when you're a grown up, no one is praising you 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: for this choice. But you can come up with ways 10 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: to praise yourself or at least picture this individual choice 11 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: as a meaningful part of a larger journey. That's what 12 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast listener Monica does. She writes that she has 13 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: created a mental image of a change jar. The change jar, 14 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: she says, is the person I want to be. Every 15 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: time I choose a glass of water over a piece 16 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: of candy, or do some inbox maintenance instead of opening Instagram, 17 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: I'm contributing to that change jar. It's a small investment 18 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: into a newer, better, smarter me. She writes that it's 19 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: been a powerful metaphor, and I can see why. Research 20 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: has found that a sense of progress is one of 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: the most powerful factors in motivation and engagement. People can 22 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: be working in chaotic organizations, but as long as they 23 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: sense steady forward motion and that they are achieving small, 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: regular winds, they can be quite content. So wise managers 25 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: naturally structure work to allow for these small victories. Each 26 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: is celebrated and you build toward the next. A metaphorical 27 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: change jar creates the same sense of progress. You eat 28 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: an apple with breakfast and another coin goes in. You 29 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,559 Speaker 1: walk on your lunch break and you hear the clink 30 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: in the jar. If you'd like to stretch this metaphor 31 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: a little farther, you could actually make literal get a 32 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: jar and put it on your desk or your dresser. 33 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: When you think about little good choices you've made, you 34 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,639 Speaker 1: can put in a coin. As the jar fills up, 35 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: you can see your progress. And of course, if you 36 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: really put change at a jar, you can use it 37 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: for something fun, to reward yourself for all these hundreds 38 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: of good choices. Not a round of drinks or a 39 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: pizza dinner these days, but maybe some new books or puzzles. 40 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: Those sound great. Ultimately, good choices have their own intrinsic rewards. 41 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: But in the meantime, some external ones can help, whether 42 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: metaphorical or literal. It's always good to see progress. Do 43 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: you have a strategy that helps you stay motivated towards 44 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: your goals? You can let me know about it at 45 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart media dot com. In the meantime, 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 47 00:02:52,520 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 48 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 49 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 50 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. That's b E the 51 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 52 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i 53 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out 54 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 55 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 56 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 57 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: visit the i Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 58 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.