You’ve probably heard it a million times before: New year, new you. Every January, people all over the world start making resolutions with the hope of turning over a new leaf. However, statistics show that most people are not successful in sticking to their goals – in fact, only 8 percent of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions.
Luckily, you don’t have to wait till the New Year to make some sort of change.
If you’re someone who has trouble making lasting changes in your life, don’t worry—you’re not alone. There is a way to increase your chances of success.
Enter: the iterative mindset.
What is an Iterative Mindset?
In order to make long-lasting changes, you need to adopt an iterative mindset. This means that rather than thinking of change as an all-or-nothing proposition, you view it as a process that happens over time. This positive mindset training focuses on making small improvements little by little, until those improvements add up to a significant difference.
What areas in life can an Iterative Mindset help with?
There are many areas in life where an iterative mindset can be helpful, including:
- Career planning and development
- Learning and mastering new skills
- Relationship building and conflict resolution
- Parenting and child-rearing
- Personal growth and self-improvement
A lot of people also use this type of mindset training for weight loss. For example, let’s say your goal is to start eating healthier. Rather than going on a restrictive diet or eliminating all unhealthy foods overnight, you could start by adding one extra serving of fruits or vegetables to your daily routine. Once you’ve made that change and it has become part of your daily routine, you can add another healthy change, such as cutting out sugary drinks or eating lean protein at every meal.
Over time, these small changes will add up to big results—and because you’ve adopted an iterative mindset, you’ll be more likely to stick with them for the long haul.
How Does an Iterative Mindset Help?
An iterative mindset helps you make long-lasting life changes for two main reasons: first, it allows you to focus on progress rather than perfection; and second, it gives you a sense of control over the process.
When you adopt an iterative mindset, you focus on making small improvements rather than striving for perfection immediately. This takes the pressure off and makes it more likely that you’ll stick with your goals in the long run. In addition, viewing change as a process that happens over time gives you a sense of control—rather than feeling like you have to overhaul your entire life overnight, you can take comfort in knowing that change is something that happens gradually.
Making Lasting Change
If you’re someone who has trouble making lasting changes in your life, adopting an iterative mindset can help. By focusing on making small improvements little by little, you can make long-lasting changes that will have a big impact on your health and wellbeing. So next time you find yourself making a New Year’s resolution or setting another goal, remember to approach it with an iterative mindset—it just might be the key to success!