Patterns of action are like habits. They are the “rules” we follow automatically — the things we do that we don’t even think about. We’ve all got them. We have patterns of action for how we work, how we eat, how we relate to other people, how we do just about everything. What makes a pattern of action good or bad is simply whether it takes us closer to or pushes us further away from our goals.
Now that we’ve decided to change and we’ve become more clear about our future, we need to look at our patterns of action, which brings us to the next important question I need you to answer:
Which three patterns of action might prevent you from reaching your goals?
For example, if someone’s goal is to lose 20 pounds of fat, he would need to stop eating low-nutrient, high-calorie foods. Another pattern of action he might need to get rid of is skipping workouts. You see, these habits will prevent progress, so they have to go — they’re what I call “unauthorized.”
Think about it and write down the three patterns of action which you believe might hold you back. Once you’ve done that, please answer this question:
Which three new patterns of action do you need to establish to reach your goals?
For example, if someone’s goals include gaining 10 pounds of muscle, he would need to get in the habit of regularly lifting weights. He might need to start eating more often and getting more sleep.
You must identify both the patterns you will stop and the new ones you will start. You see, I’ve discovered one of the reasons so many people fail to break their bad habits is because they merely focus on what they shouldn’t be doing — what they shouldn’t eat, that they shouldn’t smoke or drink — all those things they shouldn’t do.
I recommend you focus just as much on things you should start doing because new patterns help “crowd out” the unauthorized ones.
By the time you’ve identified three patterns of action that are unauthorized and three new ones you need to start, you’ll be on your way. And, even though it might have taken you years to develop the patterns of action that brought you to this point in your life, it’s not going to take you anywhere near that long to change them; in fact, it takes less than four weeks before those new patterns of action will feel more natural to do than not do.
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Here are some of my other blogs that can help you successfully transform:
Bill Phillips Fitness News 
thank you Bill for this blog!!! I sat down and really thought about this, and honestly was able to print out what I knew but did not write down. Here I go!!! with thanks!!
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thank you Bill for this blog!!! I sat down and really thought about this, and honestly was able to print out what I knew , but did not write down. Seeing it is half the battle!! Here I go!!! with thanks and gratitude!
1- I need to get more sleep. I don’t workout when I am exhausted and I can’t resist cravings when I am tired. 2- I need to plan workouts the night before. 3- I need to plan meals the night before.