[00:00:00] And welcome to the scary goals club. I am your host, Hazel Robertson. And I believe that to make the impact that you know, you're called to make in the world, it requires setting bigger, scarier goals, and then becoming the person who creates them. That is what I am here to show you how to do. That's what we're diving into.
Mindset tools, tricks, really simple, practical, actionable steps. You can take and start applying straight away. Cause. Or whatever you believe, we have this one life that we definitely know about. Start making the impact you know you want to make in the world. Fear is not a reason to stop. We keep going. We work through the fear.
That is what we do in the Scary Ghouls Club. So come on in, come join, hit subscribe, and let's get started.
Hi and welcome to episode 34 of the scary goals club podcast. So in today's episode, I want to talk about habits, [00:01:00] goal habits. Okay. So why you want to set habits that are going to help you get towards your goal and three steps are going to make it really easy to actually set habits so that you can build them.
okay, so why do you even want to set habits at all? Well, 95 percent of what we do on a daily basis is habitual, meaning we're not even thinking about it. Like we're not even conscious. We have built these habits over years, over months, so much so that we don't even, we're not even aware or we just like go through the motions.
It's like if you ever get in a car. and you're like driving somewhere and you've not even like clicked or like on your bike it's like you can drive somewhere your body is just going through the motions you've done it so many times that it's just habitual you're not even thinking about it or it's like if you work wake up first thing in the morning then you like come downstairs or you like clean your teeth or you like put on the kettle like you're just going through these motions at some point it was the first time you did it maybe when you moved into the new house or whatever but then you're just like Like, after doing it again and again and again, it just becomes second nature.
[00:02:00] And this is amazing in loads of ways because our brain and body is super smart and it forms habits really quickly to conserve energy. Because once it becomes habitual, we don't have to think consciously about doing it. It's like just happens on default, then we're not using as much energy, which is great in some ways, but it also means that we can almost get into this place where we're kind of like sleepwalking.
It's like, if you have a habit of like picking up your phone and checking this app and checking this app and checking this app, and you do it again and again, it's like, you don't even realize like your phone's in your hand sometimes. And you're not even aware of it. Like you're checking again and you're like, well, what has just happened?
It's almost like we're like when we get to this place, it's like we are sleepwalking through our lives and just doing the same things that we've always done. So habits are amazing. Once we build habits and knowing that the habits are actually taking us where we want to go and actually helping us get towards our scary goals because there's, there's maybe some habits that are stopping you from getting towards your scary goals or holding you back.
So. The key thing is that if you want [00:03:00] to build a new habit, it's going to take a bit of energy at first to overcome, you know, it's like you're learning, you're having to be really conscious about learning every step by step of the thing or like changing a habit. Once you like do it for a few, a few weeks, even after a few days, you're going to notice that it just becomes second nature and you're not having to think about it anymore.
So even like recently, been building more of a running habit and had to be very conscious because I was out of the habit of running like on certain days and how it was working and have to be like, okay, like laying myself out the night before, like putting it in my calendar. I mean, like, this is what I'm running, really imagining it the night before, like, okay, then I'm going to get up, then I'm going to put my stuff on, then I'm going to run.
And now like, it's just become like automatic that on my days that I'm working, I am up, pulling on my running stuff and I'm out for a run. I don't even have to think about it. Like I've not even laid my stuff out. Sometimes it's laid out, but it, I just go and it's just happening now and that's only been a few weeks of building this.
It's like, oh, I just run. And that's just what I do on my working days at the [00:04:00] start. Whereas before, sometimes I would shower, sometimes I wouldn't. And then I'd go out for a walk. Sometimes I'd do this. Like it was all just a little bit, like whatever I did was slightly depending on how I felt, how much sleep I'd had, how I thought I was like, Oh, do I have enough energy to run?
Whereas now I'm like, I totally have enough energy to run. If I feel like I don't, then I'll change that. But I'm kind of, I've switched the habit and now it just is automatic and I'm feeling amazing for it and feeling so much more energized and getting so many more ideas on my run. So it's helping me work towards my goals, helping me have more energy.
helping me just stay in flow a bit more and just get rid of excess energy that I often have. Like, I just, pre having Flynn, I used to run all the time and would run like long distances. And then that changed. Like I wasn't able to run when I was pregnant. Then for various reasons, I'd get back into running habit, then I'd get ill or then I'd get back into running habit and something would happen or like sleep.
There was always something that would kind of set me back. And so I got in and out of the habit of it. And so now it's like getting back in the [00:05:00] habit of it. And it's like, Oh, very quickly, like literally just in a few weeks. I'm like, Oh, this is just what I do. And I'm already like already noticing the differences for that.
So it's the same with any habit that you are building is like. It's going to take more energy at first and then it just becomes second nature. And so there's the stuff that you're doing anyway, that's habitual, like your body just doing it automatically. And if you can be really conscious and think, okay, what is it ultimately I want, what habits do I want to be building?
Are they moving me where I want to go? Then once you build them in, like, they will just become second nature. And so it's going to be so much easier to do. The things are going to move you towards your goal.
okay, so now I want to talk through three steps that you can go through. It's going to help you build habits that are going to help you move towards your goals. Okay. So the first step is to imagine that you are your future self who has already achieved your goal. Okay. I did a last episode on this, but like really imagining the goal is done.
It's in the future. [00:06:00] You are your future self. Like you've already created the goal. And just imagining what is that person like that future version of you. How are they different than how you are now? And what kind of things are they doing differently that maybe you're not doing? So thinking about like, what other habits do they have?
How are they going about their day? What things are they doing? Are they not doing? How are they thinking? How are they thinking differently? How are they feeling? And like, you can make a list even of like, okay, what are some of the things that they would be doing differently than like, that I'm not. And those are some ideas of like, those behaviors are habits that you can then start to build.
The first piece is really imagining. You in the future, who's already created your goal, what are some of the habits? that that person has, that they're just part of what they do. Like, how is that different than you are now? So that's the first step. The second step. So once you have like that list of habits and you've picked one that you want to work on is just to make it super easy.
Okay. So it's not like, For example, say with the running habit, I, and I've built running habits and then they've dropped off [00:07:00] for various reasons, often illness, and then I've built them up again, like so many times over the years. And the key thing with any habit is to make it as easy as possible. So like, for example, when I'm building a running habit, I'm not like, I have to run 5k or I have to run a set distance or a certain amount of time.
I don't even give myself that. I'm just like, I'm just going to go out the door and go for a run. Like if I literally run along to the end of the road and I come back, that's okay. If I go out of the door and just turn and come back in, that's okay. Because I know as soon as I get out the door, as soon as I get moving, most of the time, like 99.
9 percent of the time, I feel amazing and then I keep going and I run for way longer. My like, maybe I run for like an hour, maybe sometimes maybe I just run for 15 minutes, but because I'm not like I have to run for this certain amount of time, if I'm wanting to build a running habit. It makes it so much easier, like I'm not putting that same pressure on myself.
So whatever habit you're wanting to build, you want to make it as easy as possible, as simple as possible. Basically, so like, if [00:08:00] you saw your running stuff laid out, or whatever your habit is, or you saw something, like a reminder to go and do the thing, Yes, there's maybe a bit of like, oh, but not so much as if it was like, oh, I have to run for an hour, and then all the excuses come.
Whereas if it was like, okay, just literally can run for a minute, you'd be like, okay, I can do that. It's like, fine. And it's anything that's gonna make it easier to get over the initial doing of it. Because once you like, that is the hardest part. The like getting out of the door. Like actually starting it is where all of the inertia is where it's like, Oh, it's like changing the habit.
You're rewiring your brain. You're like, brain is used to not doing it. Your body's used to not doing it. And then you're changing that. That's the hardest bit. So to make it as easy as possible, just makes it easier to overcome that initial inertia. And then once you're doing it, you're probably going to do it for longer.
And also once you have built a habit, like, even if you did run every day or say it was like every few days for a minute, Like, you would have the habit of putting in your running stuff, getting out the door. And so then you can always increase the time later. That's the key [00:09:00] thing with all of it is once you've built the habit, you can always make it longer after.
But if you make it too big or seemingly too big to your brain to start with, your brain is going to be like, nah, it's going to come in with all the excuses. Like I don't have enough time. I don't have this. I don't have this. So is like just making it as easy as possible. Like thinking now, like whatever habit you're going to.
build, think of like, how can you actually make that habit as, as small and as easy as possible? So that's the second step. So the first one is imagining your future self, who's already got the goal it's already created. What habits do they have and what's one you want to build? And then the second one, like, how can you make that habit as easy as possible and just have it written down somewhere. And then the third step that's going to make it really easy is to track it. Okay. So just grabbing like a piece of paper. and pencil or pen and just having it somewhere like on the fridge or somewhere that you can see or having some in your phone notes, whatever it is. And once you do the thing, the habit that you're trying to build is just [00:10:00] tracking it, marking it, writing the date, like whatever is having like a calendar and like tick it off.
Every time we track progress, every time we tick, this is why like celebrating your wins is so powerful. We get this like dopamine Boost and it encourages, encourages us to want to do it again. So anytime that you are like, yes, celebrating, like doing your habit, whatever it is, or you're tracking it, or you're like ticking something off or crossing something off that gives us a dopamine boost.
It feels really rewarding to our brain. It helps us track progress and it's going to make it easier to want to do it again the next day. So you don't have to track it, but it can often, Help build that like when you're starting out, it can like build that motivation and then once you actually start doing it.
So again with the running example like. the initial inertia, like, oh, and then once you, like, once I started doing it for like a few days or like a week, I feel so good afterwards that that becomes it's like, that then becomes the motivation to want to do [00:11:00] it. It's like, I know how amazing I feel. So then that makes it easier to do it again.
So initially when we start the tracking can be helpful until we're like really getting the benefits, especially if, for example, I've not been running and I'm getting back into it. Like the first few times it's going to be like, Oh, we're like, Oh, my legs are so heavy or it's just, I'm not going to be in the, like my body's not going to be as run fit as it maybe has been in the past.
So the tracking can be really helpful for that. And then once I get into the habit of it, like I feel so amazing afterwards that that is enough reward in itself. And it feels also amazing. Like when you decide that you want to do something and you do it, like you feel so amazing. And so there becomes this like.
That is the best reward is when you have intrinsic motivation, when you decide you want to do something and you're like actually motivated to go and do it. And you're imagining how you're going to feel afterwards. And then you feel amazing. You're like, yes, like tracking can help you get those boosts, but actually.
the reward of doing it and like the satisfaction from [00:12:00] doing what you said you would do is everything, which is also why it's so important. Step number two is to make it as easy as possible because you're building that trust with yourself. You're building that intrinsic motivation. You're building that satisfaction that like, when you say you're going to do something, you say you're going to run today, whatever your habit is.
You actually do it. And because anytime you say you're going to do and you don't you're kind of chipping away at that self trust and you're like, it's harder and harder to them do that. Whereas if you can build habit, even if it's like running for a minute a day or whatever your habit is, like, once you build that.
That trust with yourself being like, huh, I can build any habit, then you can start to think like bigger and bigger habits, but like starting small and the key thing is just the committing saying what it is you're going to do and then doing it, which is why you want to make it as small as possible so you're getting those dopamine boosts and you're building that trust with yourself.
So, first step, thinking about your future self and really imagining that, what habits they would have that [00:13:00] maybe you don't have now, and then picking one. The second step, making it as easy as possible, as small as possible, so you're like, Oh, I could totally do that. And then the third one is tracking in some way, like writing down your wins, putting on a calendar, ticking off somewhere as well.
And it's just so powerful. Like once you spend, and I suggest spending like a month building a habit. You could even do like one a quarter if you wanted to, like, okay, what am I going to build this month? What am I going to build this quarter? And just having it like, this is just what you do every single day.
And then add another one. And then add another one. So it's like picking, excuse me, picking one at a time because it keeps it really simple. And the fun thing is, is like, once you start building one habit, like you're going to notice other habits in your life get better as well. So for, again, just for the running example, like once, I'm like, I'm running more, I'm sleeping better.
I want to like, fuel my body like I'm drinking more water, I'm eating more healthily. Like I'm always pretty healthy with how I eat, but like, I'm wanting to fuel myself in [00:14:00] ways that are going to like help my energy levels even more. So all of these things are just happening just by building the habit of running.
Like there's all these extra benefits as well. So whatever, like there's no right or wrong habit, whichever one you pick, because you're building that trust with yourself, because you're doing what you say you're going to do. Like it's gonna. Like you've got that same brain that you're rewiring, like it's going to affect other areas of your life in like amazing, amazing ways.
So happy building habits and I'm gonna, oh yeah, so the next scary goals club call is on the 5th. No, it's not the 5th of November. Hang on. Let me check. I think the 5th is a Tuesday. Two seconds. I should have this before I started. 7th. It is the 7th of November. Okay. Okay. It's the next scary goals club party call.
is at one o'clock on Thursday, the 7th of November. So if you're listening to this in real time or almost real time, sign up with the link in the show notes, come live because we're going to be diving into [00:15:00] habits even more. Okay. I'm going to do like a deep dive session on this and I want to help you.
Like you're going to leave having like, what is your goal habit? You're going to be really clear what it is. You're going to know exactly like. When you're doing it, how you're doing it, like we're going to workshop it there. So come live. You can always get the replay. It'll be on the podcast, but there's something amazing about being there live and actually it's 30 minutes.
You show up for 30 minutes and then you have this habit that you know that you're going to be building, that you know is going to be moving you towards your, your scary goal. So Thursday, 7th of November, if you haven't signed up already, sign up now and you'll get the email and come join us live at one o'clock.
I was going to say, is it? Oh, yeah, the clocks change. So it's GMT. It's not British summertime anymore. So if you're dialing in from other parts of the world, it is GMT. It's going to be in because the clocks are changing at the end of October. So wishing you a lovely rest of the day, a lovely rest of the week and happy habit building.
And yeah, come along on the [00:16:00] 7th of November and we will build some habits together. All right. See you next time. Bye.
Hey, thanks so much for listening. If this was helpful, please hit subscribe and leave a review. This helps get this work in the hands of more purposeful people. That is more people creating bigger, scarier goals, making an even bigger impact in the world. And if you want to take this work deeper and work with me directly, head to the show note and I put all of the information there.
If you've got any questions or if there's anything you're like, ooh, I'd love you to talk about that on the pod, please just get in touch. I love hearing from you guys. And I'll see you next time in the Scary Ghouls Club.
