Don’t fear failure, utilise it…

There are two very common obstacles people believe get in the way of them succeeding at changing a habit, according to Leo Babuta from ZenHabits.com.

The first is attempting a new habit but then quitting if something goes wrong. Or, the new habit won?t even be attempted because change seems too daunting.

Leo writes: ?The answer to both of these problems is really the same: do the habit. Keep doing it. Keep trying until you figure it out. The problem is that people feel discouraged by failure, or feel overwhelmed or intimidated. The solution is to embrace the ?fail faster? philosophy.?

The only way you will ever learn if changing a habit will work for you is by doing it. If it fails, it?s not a problem because it will help you improve the next time you attempt to make a change.

Leo has put together a plan for the Fail Faster Method, which he says if followed properly is guaranteed to bring success:

• Write out a brief habit method ? For example, ?Walk every day for 20 minutes after work at 5pm at the park.?

• Start – Get the habit going as easily as possible, so you can gain real-world info. Do the habit for just 3 days ? this is an iteration of your habit method. Don?t aim for 30 days, just 3.

• Fail faster – After doing the habit for 3 days, do a 2-minute review: how did the plan go? Did you do the habit every day? What worked? What got in the way?

• Adjust – Learn from your last iteration by improving the method. If you didn?t go because you felt tired, can you try exercise at a different time? Can you do it for a shorter time (just 10 minutes)? Can you do it with a friend? Try googling your habit obstacle if you can?t think of a solution ? lots of people have had the same obstacle and figured out a solution.

• Start again – After a 3-day programme; review, and adjust cycle, repeat the cycle. Every 3 days. Do the habit, do a 2-minute review, and adjust.

Read Leo?s blog from ZenHabits.com in full at http://bit.ly/1bodrUn