Mindset Shift
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Introduction
One of the most powerful ways to change your habit is through changing your identity. And there are strategies that help you shift your identity and your mindset. One of these strategies is described in ‘Allens carr’s easy way to stop smoking’. And in this blog, you will understand where cravings come from and the strategy to shift your mindset and identity to break down your bad habits.
Cravings
Every behavior has a surface level of craving and a deeper, underlying motive. When you start a bad habit, it isn’t because you need to, but because there is an underlying motive.
Everybody needs to eat to survive (The underlying motive), however, most of us want to eat something tasty and unhealthy (The craving).
“Your habits are the modern day solution to ancient desires.”
Reframe your habits
Bad Habits
Why do we always give reasons to lower the bar for a bad habit? It’s always, ‘Ahh, let’s get one more beer’ or ‘I deserve to smoke after this long day’.
It’s never. ‘I deserve to walk another mile’ or ‘I deserve to eat healthy food’ or ‘Let’s push ourselves to the max’
What happens is that you give power to the habit that you actually don’t want to do. By giving reasons, you sabotage yourself to acknowledge that the bad habit is not a big of a deal.
Allen Carr understood this concept and created a strategy that eliminates your cravings. Counter attacking your reasonings.
By giving the bad habits a new meaning, you systematically reframe each cue associated with it.
So basically, when you say that you want to stop smoking, you identify yourself as a smoker. Instead, you should say that you aren’t a smoker and that you are not quitting anything because you are not a smoker.
You have to acknowledge that there are no benefits from smoking. That you don’t need it and you are losing nothing if you decide to quit. You are not dependent on your bad habits.
When you have no reasons to do it, you will automatically stop with your bad habits. You make it unattractive.
Hard but good habits
When you want to quit a bad habit, you remove the benefit from the activity. However, to create good habits, you can empower the habit by highlighting the benefits.
You can make habits attractive by associating positive experiences.
Just change one word; You don’t ‘have’ to. You ‘get’ to.
Instead of ‘I need to run a mile’ say ‘It’s time to build endurance’
Instead of ‘I have to save money’ say ‘It’s time to build a fortune for the future me’
Instead of ‘I’m nervous’ say ‘I am excited’
Reframe your thoughts and it can help you change the feeling associated with them.
Personally, I say this to motivate myself.
‘It’s not meant for everybody’
Every time, when I don’t want to workout, work, write, or run. I would say that it’s not meant for everyone because it reminds me that if I keep slacking I will end up with the mindset of a slacker.