Whenever I start learning or doing something new, I feel ferociously impatient. The beginning of anything, especially when I see how long it will take to get to my goal, can be torture. So I remind myself that what matters is being on the path. That my feet are pointed in the right direction, moving forward. In other words, I remind myself of the law of incrementalism.
There is no substitute for daily practice. Real change comes from consistent, patient, disciplined, daily focus on new behavior.
Want to learn to patiently listen during difficult conversations with employees? A daily practice of meditation will help you master your impulsive mind and body, so that when you do feel an adrenaline rush and want to burst out with exactly the wrong statement, you’ll have the capacity to take a pause, calm down and keep listening. How long does a person have to meditate daily before being able to do this well? At least a year.
Do you suffer from stage fright? The best thing to do is to train your body and your brain to be comfortable on the stage. You do this by being on stages a lot. By doing breathing and grounding practices. By meditating. And if you need it, by using hypnosis or EMDR. Each of these practices works, but none of them works instantly.
Do you have to keep telling your team over and over again what the company’s goals and values are? That’s perfectly normal. Get used to doing it forever. You are training their brains too – and the only way to do is is with consistent repetition!
When you commit to any type of daily practice, the rewards are not immediately apparent. Putting a penny in a piggy bank every day doesn’t seem like the best way to get $100, but it’s what works with your physiology.
When you commit to a daily practice, your body and brain remake themselves. One day, out of nowhere, you’ll notice that you are calmer on stage. You are less reactive to that a**hole reporter without even trying. Incremental change has staying power. It becomes part of who you are.
The results of incremental daily practice are certain. The timing never is. Just keep going, grasshopper!
Your business must scale, and you must scale with it. You need to hire a great team, forge strong customer relationships and lead your market with a powerful point of view. You can do none of these things without exceptional communication skills. Click here to receive pragmatic communications advice in your inbox every month.
