Change and motivation
Stages of Change
Precontemplation (not thinking about making a change yet), Contemplation, Preparation (changing behavior off and on), Action (consistently changed for less than 6 months), Maintenance (changed for 6 months).
Motivation could be described as how ready a person is to change. A highly motivated person is very ready to change.
Critical factors for change:
Importance (increasing the importance of changing a behavior creates more motivation and more motivation helps move to move faster through the stages of change)
Confidence (increasing confidence that you can change created motivation)
Logical reasons to change often fail to motivate us to do things. Finding a reason that gives us something we really want will always increase importance and motivate change.
Increase confidence with the right tools, skills, know how, and support.
Confidence + Importance = Motivation
How confident am I that I can succeed at this change? (0-10)
How important is it to me to change? (0-10)
Useful questions relating to confidence:
How are you going to achieve your goal?
Is there more than one way?
What skills, tools, support do you need?
What knowledge do you need?
If you know others that have reached this particular goal, how did they do it?
Useful questions relating to importance:
What will it be like to reach your goal?
How would you feel?
What are the benefits?
What would happen if you never reach your goal?
What would it take to make reaching your goal more important to yourself?
Taken from the Sixty-second motivator by Jim Johnson. Simplistic but seems effective.