{"id":275,"date":"2024-03-20T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.dtcoaching.ch\/?p=275"},"modified":"2024-08-13T20:39:09","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T18:39:09","slug":"turn-on-your-blinker-how-to-run-a-marathon-with-just-2-minutes-a-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dtcoaching.ch\/en\/2024\/03\/turn-on-your-blinker-how-to-run-a-marathon-with-just-2-minutes-a-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn on your blinker \u2013 how to run a marathon with just 2 minutes a day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You probably know the endless cycle of old habits, too. At the start of every year comes the same old thought, \u201cNew year, new start \u2013 time for new habits!\u201d And after a few weeks, we realize nothing has changed, our old habits still have us in their grip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I admit that I, too, am guilty of this nearly traditional pattern: \u201cThis time I\u2019ll do it\u2026\u201d and then with a sigh \u201c\u2026guess not\u201d. Again and again in coaching sessions, my clients say, \u201cI\u2019d like to do more\u2026 but I just can\u2019t seem to do it!\u201d or \u201cI really need to do less\u2026 but my hectic schedule won\u2019t let me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The roundabout works well as a metaphor for this dilemma. Driving the car, I enter the roundabout, living my habit. I can see the exits, but I can\u2019t decide which one to take, so I stay in the familiar world of my traffic circle. Only when I turn on the blinker and exit will the situation change. Of course, this also means that I have to leave my comfort zone and head into unknown and perhaps unsafe territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can I break out of my cycle of habits? I\u2019ve seen countless books and guides on the topic of changing habits. As luck would have it, I discovered \u201cAtomic Habits: Tiny changes, Remarkable Results\u201d by James Clear<\/strong> (Avery, New York 2018). Having read the book, I can actually see an opportunity to change some of my habits. What convinced me most is the authenticity of the author. As a teenager he suffered severe head injuries due to a sports accident. A promising young star, his dream of a career as a professional baseball player seemed to be shattered forever. Dark thoughts were accompanied by the grim feeling of no longer having his life in control and being enveloped by insecurity. But he succeeded, and the book describes his way out of the roundabout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are numerous clues for changing old habits, presented in a logical and structured way. For me, it really \u201cclicked\u201d when change is described as a change in the route of an airplane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Change\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If I transfer this insight into the reality of my habits, it means that I keep the goal in mind, but get there in small steps, consistently and consciously. The focus is no longer on running a marathon, but rather on walking around the block for 2 minutes every day, even if it\u2019s raining, even if you\u2019re tired. And when the 2-minute walk has become so ingrained that you do it almost automatically, it\u2019s time to move to next small step: 5 minutes walking every day. At some point, the next step will be the marathon. Of course this takes time, but as time goes on, this approach leads to a new identity. The mindset changes from \u201cI run for 5 minutes\u201d to \u201cI am a runner\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The author describes 4 success factors<\/p>\n\n\n\n