This is definitely an interesting question as being in the mindset mastery business, I actually receive this question from time to time. I think one reason people ask is perhaps a recent course they took enlightened them to a number of “programs” in their life that were stopping them, and they thought “I am a new person.” With that in mind they just took the few concepts they learned and moved forward, living out their lives. How is that working for them?
Well, checking back with some of those I worked with over the years, I find them perhaps sounding a slight bit more enlightened but also in a rut for some reason or other. When I bring up some of the concepts that they absolutely said were “life changing”, they could hardly recall what they were, or how they applied them in their daily lives. The greatness that could have been created had been diminished to having some “self talk jargon” so they could sound good and look good. But the results in their lives truly tell the full story that they have not mastered the principles. “Mastery” requires consistent practice not tied to results…just stepping into the activity, over and over again because of the acknowledgment of the results that you are totally committed to create.
Here are a few tips to truly start living and breathing the changes you uncover and desire to live out to allow you to be the best version of yourself.
1. Find a Mentor: A mentor is someone who is well versed in this field and truly knows more than you do. They can support you weekly/monthly so the principles become “top of mind” for you and thus, truly impact decisions you make daily. They can play an incredible role in your life, helping to answer questions, and get you back on “the path.” Knowledge is one thing, application on a daily basis is quite different as we all know.
2. Choose what you learned and focus on it daily: this creates a daily behavior practice so the activities become automatic without thinking about them, basically adopted in your normal routine. The list of breakthroughs is something you review daily and look to see how and where each one was applied in the circumstances of the day. Secondly, where could you have produced more rewarding results by applying them in that moment. Journal every day and review the journal on a weekly basis, noticing any changes in behavior to draw you nearer to the enlightenment you are looking for in your life. Daily habits create long term results…both good and bad depending on the habits.
3. A key marker is to evaluate just how honest you are with yourself. Some have developed such bad habits that just plain telling the truth has lost its meaning. Also, a lot of people love to discuss self-development but when it comes to application, dishonesty stops them before they ever get started. Be real! Get serious about who you are, what the discoveries unveiled, and exactly what you are committed to creating. This is really a starting point because without this as the foundation, there is nothing to build upon that will “hold.” If there is someone who knows you very well, check with them to see if your “self analysis” is as real as possible, and the “change list” truly suits you. Multiple validations can help you know you are on the right path.
4. Take your list of changes desired and find some terrific books written specifically on those topics. An independent third party’s insights will truly support you to take that principle and dig a little deeper. Make sure your selected authors who are well established in the field since there are many “me-toos” in the personal development industry. “No confusion” is your new mantra as that is typically a sign of resistance and can set someone back a few years instead of move them forward.
5. Reward yourself with every victory. Every time you see yourself responding differently and through those changes, creating much more effective results from what you may have experienced 6 months or a year ago, celebrate. Truly acknowledge the difference and journal on the differences it made to all those impacted. This will help to truly replace old behavioral patterns as you are seeing the more effective results and being rewarded. You can actually get a calendar and list some of the activities on an every day basis. These become visible every day and thus, support the change to truly become permanent. The more you tie rewards to the changed behavior, the closer it becomes automatic.