Webinar Notes
1/19/17 iNLP Center Student Webinar on Creating Habits
NLP Application Training: Applied NLP
NLP Trainer: Mike Bundrant

Purpose of this NLP Training Webinar

Assuming a congruent goal, you now want to establish specific supporting behaviors as part of a routine (habits) that will move you forward.

What happens if the goal is not congruent?

If a goal is not congruent, then you are conflicted in your desire to achieve it. Inner conflict is a leading cause of self-sabotage. Before attempting to establish new habits, be sure you are congruent in your desire to achieve the outcome of those habits.

How do you know if you are conflicted?
• You feel torn
• You criticize yourself (inner voice) around this goal:
I can't do it
It's pointless
People will laugh at me
• Even though you are full capable, you are not following through on simple tasks

Any and all of the above suggests 'a part of you is positioned against the goal - or resistant. This should be addressed as a priority. Inner conflict is the most overlooked element of personal development.

So we have a congruent goal and want to set up some supporting habits to that will take us there. How do we set such habits and make new behaviors an automatic part of our daily routine?

This is what we're doing here today.

How to Make Self-Motivation Easy
NLP has several ways to achieve goals, overcome obstacles and create motivation. But let's look at Stanford Researcher Dr. BJ Fogg's behavior/motivation model. It's infused with practical NLP concepts.

Source: BJ Fogg/Tiny Habits

The model shows that:

I. Doing any task requires three things:

• The ability to do it
• Motivation to do the task
• A trigger to begin doing the task

2. The more difficult a task, the more motivation is required to take action.
3. The easier a task. the less motivation is required to take action.

Therefore:

If you chunk down tasks into simple, easy (too easy) pieces, it is much easier to get started because less motivation is required. For incredibly simple, easy task, minimal motivation is required. This has direct implications for creating new habits, as getting started is most of the battle.

If your goal is to get started doing a new task in order to form a habit, then chunking down makes perfect sense.

Behavior 'Chaining'
Behavior Chaining is linking one behavior to another (NLP anchoring) so the first behavior triggers the second. If you're trying to create a new habit (to make something part of a routine) then it makes sense to link the new desired behavior to a behavior that is already part of an existing routine. It's easier to leverage an existing routine by adding a simple task to it than to create an entirely new routine.

Important: Is it NOT necessary that the behaviors to be linked are naturally associated with each other. They might have nothing to do with each other.

Process for Creating a Behavior Chain
1. Identify an existing behavior that is already routine, such as:

• Brushing your teeth
• Eating breakfast
• Getting out of bed
• Doing the nightly dishes

2. Choose the small chunk (tiny chunk) behavior you want to link to the routine behavior, such as:

• Doing one pushup
• Flossing one tooth
• Playing one chord on a guitar
• Sitting in your meditation chair
• Standing on the treadmill

3. Create an intention statement that links the 'too easy' behavior with the existing routine behavior, such as:

Each morning after my feet hit the floor, I will immediately sit in my meditation chair.

After I set down my toothbrush, I will immediately floss one tooth.

After I do the last dinner dish, I will pick my guitar and play one chord.

After putting my breakfast plate in the sink, I will stand on the treadmill.

***The Fogg Behavior Model is the property of BJ Fogg and Tiny Habits. Mike Bundrant is a certified Tiny Habits coach.
Further information about Tiny Habits can be had at TinyHabits.com