Use the “5W Rule” to follow through.
From the Happiness PhD Project with Jackson Kerchis...
Let’s say you’ve set out to reach a goal or work on some new thing.
I want to lose 10 pounds, I want to read 10 books, I want to be more productive, etc.
This is how you do it. What are the day-to-day or week-to-week actions in the physical world which will lead to your goal? Answer that question and make those habits your goal instead…
Then create a plan. This means you clearly articulate the 5 Ws: what, when, where, with whom, and why will you do the habit. This draws on Charlie Munger’s management philosophy (the 5W Rule) as well as research literature on implementation intention from Peter M. Gollwitzer and Gabriele Oettingen in the Department of Psychology at New York University.
Take one study where researchers asked participants to perform an important self-examination to check for potential cancers. One group was told simply to do the 10 minute procedure. Another group was told to do it and state when and where they would do it. The second group was 2 or 3 times more likely to follow through simply because they said when and where.
Think of it as making an appointment with yourself: you will do what by when, where, with whom, and why?
Examples:
Lose 10 lbs this year becomes… I will do 20 minutes of cardio at home on the treadmill in my basement M, W, F at 5:30 and 30 minutes of weight training at the gym T and R at 5:30 with my trainer because I’m an athlete and I know physical energy is the foundation for my success.
Read more becomes… I will read for 15 minutes at my desk after lunch M-F. And on Sunday mornings I’ll meet with Jeff, Jon, and Joe at Starbucks for a weekly book club. I will do this because I recognize learning is the foundation for building the life I want.
Improve the performance of my team becomes… Monday and Thursday afternoon between 2 and 5 I will spend 90 minutes on Zoom developing a member of my team on one core competency because this is the key to exceptional leadership.
Answer the 5Ws and turn your goal into a specific habit plan.
Your happiness nerd,
Jackson