In Part 2 of this series on John Norcross’s Changeology and it’s similarity to parts of the P10 Principle, we discussed Norcross’s brief discussion on the science of change. In this Part 3, we will discuss what Norcross calls “The Keys” to change.
Effective change takes time; usually at least 90 days. And there are certain catalytic strategies that provoke or accelerate significant change.
Norcross’s timeline for doing the right thing at the right time breaks down as follows:
- Step: Psych – Stage: Contemplation – Days 1 to 7-14
- Step: Prep – Stage: Preparation – Days: 7-14 to 21
- Step: Perspire – Stage: Action – Days: 7 – 14 to 60
- Step: Persevere – Stage: Maintenance – Days : 60 to 90
- Step: Persist – Stage: Maintenance – Days: 75+ onward
The research-supported change-catalytic strategies include, but are not limited to:
- Tracking progress
- Committing to a goal
- Becoming aware of yourself and your problem
- Rewarding your improvement
- Securing support from others
- Rearranging your physical environment
There are many strategies and many of the strategies are comprised of many techniques. Plus, many of the strategies span several steps and some are only right in certain right steps. Norcross promises to explain the orderly, explainable, and understandable entire formula for change.
Again, however, Norcross repeats the real secret to and basis of effective change lies in the concept of step matching. Doing the right thing at the wrong time can kill your chances of successful change.
Norcross refutes by fiat the five common myths about change:
- People can’t change on their own. (Sure they can!)
- Most goals and resolutions are trivial. (No they’re not!)
- Change requires only willpower. (No, it doesn’t!)
- It’s all in my genes. (No, it’s not!)
- I can’t change; I’ve tried before. (Sure you can; try again!)
All these myths can be neutralized with self-efficacy. Simply believing in your own competency of your own efforts to complete each particular critical task needed to reach a particular behavior goal will exponentially increase your overall success. Self-esteem and self-efficacy are not the same. The first is global; the second, specific. Many of the best people in the world cannot do many particular things. Many people who can do one particularly difficult but fantastic thing are in fact generally lousy people.
What you have to have in order to succeed is realistic confidence in your ability to change your behavior and fulfill your goal and resolution. With this simple truth in mind, we are 16% of the way through the book and we can now proceed to the meaty, middle, part II of Changeology.
[reminder]How confident are you in your ability to change?[/reminder]