Learn to Think, Choose, Act and Win!

Are you ready to make positive changes in your life? Use the Think, Choose, Act, Win (TCAW) model to get into action and stay in action. It is designed to take six to sixty seconds, and is intended to encourage you to make the best choices in the moment of decision. Here is your cliff notes version of how to make it happen—in any or every area of your life.

Step One: Think

First, consider the choice. Think through and acknowledge the easiest answer to your question or choice. The easiest answer is the one most of us choose for that very reason--it's easy. Sitting and watching TV is easier than gearing up for a walk. Eating high-fat, high-sugar, and easily accessible foods is quicker than thinking though the best food choices for your body. Over time, these easier decisions create the build-up that leads to poor health physically, emotionally, financially, and interpersonally. What is the choice you need to make right now? Identify it. Take the time to think through what your best choice would be in the moment. For instance, will eating that scone fulfill your goal of eating wisely each morning? Would firing back an angry e-mail to someone support your commitment to be professional and take the high road when working with clients?

Step Two: Choose

Next, choose by considering what would be the best choice. The best choice is the one that moves you closer to your goal(s). If you're striving to live a healthier, more connected life--the easy answers don't lead to the life you want. Every choice you make impacts another area of your life in a ripple effect. Have your choices today taken you closer to or farther from your goals?

Step Three: Act

Great intentions and good choices don't have meaning until they are put into action. Once you make a choice, act on it. The step that comes after thinking through a choice is choosing. Once the choice is made, action needs to happen. If the action gives you the results you want--you win.

Step Four: Win

The win occurs when you make intentional choices, act on them, and successfully follow through.

When You Hit a Wall

Sometimes your action doesn't result in the outcome you want, which suggests you've hit the proverbial wall. Hitting a wall looks and feels like failure. In practical terms, here is an example of how it may play out for you. After reflection and assessment (Step One, Thinking), you determine that this is the time to begin exercising (Step Two, Choosing). You decide to schedule exercise into your life after work two days a week and one time over the weekend. After two weeks, you have only exercised once during the week. You have hit a wall.

What can you do? Go back to Step One (Think) about what worked and what didn't work. Maybe you determine trying to go after work is too difficult--traffic, late client calls, kids waiting at home, etc.--are too strong a deterrent for you to be consistent. Okay, re-think the situation. What else could you do? How about working out in the mornings? If you choose that, you do what you need to do to make time and get your exercise in before work. At this point, you act (Step Three) and find the new plan works. Success!

Remember: If a new strategy or plan does not work, strive to let go of anger, guilt, or frustration. Look to learn from what didn't work. Try a new plan that could succeed. Life goes by so quickly, be intentional and your daily choices will result in a rich, healthy and well-lived life.

Fitness

We are regularly reminded that more of us ought to be exercising more regularly. Yet, it is equally important to simply be active—in any shape or form. Active living is the easier, more sustainable way for most people to take care of themselves. There is some good news to report on the "active living" front. Cooking Light magazine has taken a look at American attitudes to lifestyle. More than 1,000 adults across the country responded to the 2007 Cooking Light Insight Survey, which gauged nutrition and exercise knowledge. Here’s what the survey uncovered regarding fitness habits:
  • 6% of American adults get 30 minutes of exercise a day.
  • 22% exercise 3-4 times per week. (That would be me.)
  • 19% walk of bike instead of taking transportation.
  • 41% take the stairs whenever possible. (Do you have stairs you could be using more often?)
  • 33% regularly park their cars farther from their destination to get in extra walking.

For those of you participating in the activities above, congratulations and keep it up! If, up till now, you haven’t taken advantage of these active living ideas, pick one behavior you can do that will enable you to be active this week. Given the time of year, I’m thinking gardening. Plant a flower or herb for me.

Nutrition

In Progress Not Perfection, I refer to The National Weight Control Registry, NWCR, (see page 120) which was established in 1994 by Jim Hill and Rena Wing. In 1997, initial research on registry members uncovered three common strategies used for weight successful weight loss:

~ doing high levels of physical activity
~ consuming a low-calorie, low-fat diet
~ weighing oneself frequently (This is a tip I would have disagreed with, yet now would suggest you try because it has worked so well for others; either day weigh-ins (44%) or once a week weigh-ins (31%). Don’t forget to monitor how your clothes fit and your energy levels.)

Additional research has now been completed* and additional strategies were revealed. Seventy-eight percent of the members reporting said they eat breakfast (typically cereal and fruit) every day. The other common success factor is a vigilance regarding their weight loss even on weekends. Fifty-nine percent of the NWCR members said their eating habits were the same on weekends and weekdays. Members who were more consistent with their diets during the week and weekend were 1.5 times more likely to maintain their weight loss during the subsequent year. I’m fairly certain many of you don’t want to hear that because you ease up on eating diligence on weekends. Don’t shoot the messenger though. Consider if that is good food for thought for you.

*Wing, R.R., & Phelan, S. 2005. Long-term weight loss maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82 (Suppl.), 222S-25S.

Making Meaning, Slowing Down or Both

While listening to the radio this January, I was struck by a commentary made by the host of a talk show. She was responding to, what was at the time, a small news worthy event. Earlier in the week, a young musician dressed in a long sleeve t-shirt and baseball cap, opened his violin case and began to play in the Metro station in Washington, D.C. He played for 43 minutes. More than a 1,000 people walked by. Twenty-seven people dropped some coins into his open case and continued on their way. A few stopped momentarily before rushing on. His total take: $32.17. So…what’s the big deal with that story you might think? Well, here’s the "rest of the story." The 39 year old musician was Joshua Bell and the instrument he was playing was a $3.5 million Stradivarius. This year, Joshua is the recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, a gift of $75,000 awarded once each year for outstanding achievement and excellence in music.

What makes his talent and music noteworthy? Does he have to play in a concert hall to be considered brilliant and gifted? Do Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Bruch sound different according to venue or do we assign value and meaning by paying attention and tuning in? Are we slowing down enough at some points of our day to enjoy the beauty around us? What a privilege to have heard one of the most recognizable violinists in the world for FREE! I can’t honestly say, I would have paused long enough to realize the magic in the moment in that subway. I will however, promise to look for those moments today. How about you? What might you be missing as you fly through the day? Beauty, joy, grace-filled moments surround us. Let’s, you and I, agree to look for the meaningful moments today and be grateful.

Email me and share what you discover or notice that you otherwise would not have before you decided to LOOK. ( kate@katelarsen.com )


 Kate Larsen, PCC
http://www.katelarsen.com
http://www.wellcoaches.com/kate.larsen
Phone: 952-943-1430
Author of Progress Not Perfection: Your Journey Matters
Executive coach for The Ken Blanchard Companies
Faculty, advisor, mentor and executive coach for Wellcoaches Corp.