How to get ON track when you go OFF track

I get asked this question now and then during my coaching practice – “How did I get so off track? I was doing so well with my habits, until I missed a few days, which became months and now I have gone so off track. How do I get on track again?“

A great question and I am going to offer you my coaching advice as 4 key principles:

#1 Self Love

Cut yourself some slack. Building habits or creating change is messy. Recognize that you cannot be 100% consistent. So, get back up the next day and start a small change. Maybe it is just scheduling time and working on that habit for 10 minutes the next day, if that is all you will do. And then increase it the next few days. You will see your mindset change gradually at first and then the incremental change will gain momentum. Before you know it, you are back on track.

#2 Change is not easy.

My top quote is: “All change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.”

If mastering a new habit to the point where it becomes automatic was super easy, it wouldn’t be a valuable change.

All brilliant transformations are hard. They force you to reach deep into your gifts and talents and push past fear, doubt and resistance. And as you do this, you build greater self-awareness, about how strong you truly are. So recognize your inner strength, and roll up your sleeves, and get back on track.

#3 Harness the 80/20 rule and the law of the vital few

I want you to evaluate the goal/change/habit that you want to create. Remember that 80% of the results will come from 20% of the effort. So, leverage your time to explode your results quicker. Find out when you are at your most productive or when you are most effective at what you do. Schedule the creation of this habit around your peak performance time. What are those 20% activities that yield  80% results in creating your new habit? For example if you have a weight loss goal, find out if the 20% cause, such as staying away from some foods or walking 100 steps every 30 minutes, might lead to 80% results.

# 4 Track your progress every week.

Nothing succeeds like success.  If you keep on track 3 to 5 days in a week, that’s progress already! Success and a sense of accomplishment are strong forces that will encourage and motivate you to keep going. And once you see the results from the habit – you will create a permanent mindset shift. You will know what it takes to build this habit and how amazing it feels to enjoy the results. So take time to give yourself a pat on the back and get back on track!