How to Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones: The Science of “Habit Management”

Written by Dr. Stephen Kraus, Success Scientist


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3. Reward success. The most fundamental law in all of psychology isrepparttar “law of effect.” It simply states that actions followed by rewards are strengthened and likely to recur. Unfortunately, studies show that people rarely use this technique when trying to change personal habits. Dieters, for example, routinely overlook weeks of exercise and restrained eating, only to let a single lapse “snowball” into a total relapse and complete collapse.

Setting up formal or informal rewards for success greatly increases your chances of transforming bad habits into good ones, and is far more effective than punishing yourself for bad habits or setbacks.

4. Schedule your bad habits. If you are really struggling to kick a bad habit, try limitingrepparttar 126153 habit to a specific time and place. If you are struggling to quit cigarettes, allow yourself to smoke from 9-9:30pm, and only in an uncomfortable “smoking stool.” Whenrepparttar 126154 urge to smoke strikes, tell yourself that you’ll have plenty of time to smoke during your pre-scheduled smoking period. Research and case studies confirm that this rather unconventional approach can be a useful first step in changing bad habits.

Copyright © 2004 Stephen Kraus, Ph.D.

REFERENCES

The findings and recommendations in this article are based on scientific research published in peer-reviewed journals. For complete references, see Psychological Foundations of Success: A Harvard-Trained Scientist Separatesrepparttar 126155 Science of Success from Self-Help Snake Oil by Stephen Kraus, Ph.D.

Success Scientist Dr. Stephen Kraus is author of Psychological Foundations of Success: A Harvard-Trained Scientist Separates the Science of Success from Self-Help Snake Oil. He was recently featured in Conversations on Success, along with Brian Tracy and Wally “Famous” Amos. Steve has a Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University. To contact him or subscribe to his REAL Science of Success ezine, please visit http://www.RealScienceOfSuccess.com


How to Get Happiness

Written by Susan Dunn, MA, Emotional Intelligence Coach


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The heights of emotion do not last. Inrepparttar case of positive emotions, we are sorry. Inrepparttar 126152 case of negative emotions, we are delighted. Think back on some major disappointment in your life, and process back over your emotional reactions. Surely there was anger, grief, sadness, frustration, even depression when it first occurred. (Or shock, which is a shutting down of emotions for protective purposes.) A week later, how did you feel? A month later? Now?

You can retracerepparttar 126153 same with positive emotions. Put another way, “afterrepparttar 126154 honeymoon comesrepparttar 126155 marriage.” But don’t let this thought dismay you. It isn’t “why bother because I’ll always go back to a low level.” Part of developing your emotional intelligence is being able to tolerate greater levels of emotion. And things overall can become much more positive. After all, for most of us it’srepparttar 126156 downward spiral after a failure or loss that’srepparttar 126157 most difficult to manage.

This receding ofrepparttar 126158 initial emotion will berepparttar 126159 course unless you’ve failed to develop resilience, an emotional intelligence competency. Resilience means being able to bounce back from failure, disappointment and loss without losing your enthusiasm and hope forrepparttar 126160 future. The only permanent damage from any deep emotional event would be if you came out of it bitter, cynical, or hopeless and unable to move on.

Learn to manage your emotions so you can keep a more even keel, enjoyingrepparttar 126161 good, toleratingrepparttar 126162 bad, and knowing each will pass. This allows you to more greatly appreciaterepparttar 126163 good things, byrepparttar 126164 way. Sooner or later we learn to grabrepparttar 126165 moment when it’s good, yes? How many times have you heard someone say, “I didn’t appreciate it when I had it?” That would be a real loss in your life, yes?

This is not about losing enthusiasm for achievements and goals. This is about layingrepparttar 126166 foundation that will allow you to maneuver better in all you do, have better outcomes and not sabotage yourself.

You see, we obstacles we throw in our own way arerepparttar 126167 ones we need to eliminate. The fear of success andrepparttar 126168 fear of failure are both about emotions. After all,repparttar 126169 result of success is a high state of emotion, andrepparttar 126170 result of failure is a high state of emotion. Get beyond that. Go for your successes! Learn to manage your failures! Learn emotional intelligence.

©Susan Dunn, MA, Emotional Intelligence Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . I teach individuals to master change and transform their lives through the power of emotional intelligence. Individual coaching, Internet courses, and ebooks (http://www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html ). EQ matters more to your health, success and happiness than IQ, and it can be learned. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE ezine.


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