Every one of us has a career-limiting bad habit. Whether it’s weak interpersonal skills, a tendency to procrastinate, or good-but-not-great technical prowess, one of the biggest impediments to our upward mobility is a habit we can’t get rid of. But a few small changes can help:
- Manipulate distance.Keep bad influences far away and bring good things closer. For example, if you want to read more technical journals, put them in your newsfeed.
- Change your friends.Spend time with people who support good behaviors. If you want to cultivate a positive attitude, have lunch with others who have one.
- Schedule yourself.You’re far more likely to spend time working toward a goal if you block out time for it on your calendar.
- See your choices positively. If you’re resisting an uncomfortable but necessary conversation, don’t think, “I’ve got to go deal with this mess.” Think, “Why do I want to have this conversation?”
Adapted from "Trick Yourself into Breaking a Bad Habit," by Joseph Grenny
