Author: Jeff Emblen

Jeff Emblen grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. He enlisted in the US Army, as an Infantryman after graduating from Montclair High School. He completed Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. His chain-of-command recommended him to attend the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS); whose core mission is to allow former enlisted soldiers to provide valuable experience to the Corps of Cadets and later to the Officer Corps. Jeff was certified as a Master Fitness Trainer at West Point. During his military career, he consistently earned the US Armys Physical Fitness Badge for physical excellence. He graduated from the US Military Academy and was commissioned as an Armor Officer. He served as a Tank Platoon Leader in the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. He served as a Tank Company Executive officer and Headquarters Executive Officer while serving in the 2nd Infantry Division, in the Republic of Korea. He served as a Regimental Assistant Operations Officer in the 3rd Armor Cavalry Regiment at Fort Carson, Colorado. During his various assignments, he volunteered to serve as the units Master Fitness Trainer, he developed unit physical training programs to help prepare each soldier for possible combat operations. Jeff helped dozens of overweight soldiers lose body fat and get in the best shape of their lives, so they could remain in the Army and serve their country. He now lives in Houston, Texas; with his wife and children, working full time as an engineer. By providing information and inspiration, his mission is to help as many people as possible to live healthy, happy, and productive life styles.
habit

SMALL COMMITMENTS – BIG RESULTS

“The easier a behavior is to do, the more likely the behavior will become a habit.” BJ Fogg

It is counterintuitive, but small commitments are better than large ones. That’s because they are easier to keep. This fact is as valuable as it is obvious. When we shrink the commitment, we increase our odds of success. If we are overly ambitious with our commitment, we’ll ace our chances of forming a habit. Big obligations cause inconsistency. We aren’t always going to have enough time, willpower, or motivation to meet the commitment. Inconsistency is a habit killer. If we aren’t consistent, then it isn’t a habit.

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delay gratification, end procrastination, how to break a bad habit, kill procrastination, REVERSE THE 5-MINUTE RULE

REVERSE THE 5-MINUTE RULE TO BREAK A BAD HABIT

“one way to motivate a switch is to shrink the change, which makes people feel “big” relative to the challenge.” ― Chip Heath, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

While shrinking the commitment is primarily used to start good habits, it can also be a tool to break bad ones. To break a bad habit, we use it as a delaying strategy. We can avoid overeating by delaying our consumption. Say to yourself, “I am going to drink a glass of water and wait for 5-minutes. If I am still hungry, I can have a little more.” Physiologically, you are giving your body more time to register that it is full and hydrated. Psychologically, you are making the reward less desirable.

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vicious cycle, virtuous cycle

GATEWAY HABITS & DECISION POINTS

“I begin each day of my life with a ritual. I wake up at 5:30 A.M., put on my workout clothes, my leg warmers, my sweatshirt, and my hat. I walk outside my Manhattan home, hail a taxi, and tell the driver to take me to the Pumping Iron gym at 91st Street and First Avenue, where I work out for two hours. The ritual is not the stretching and weight training I put my body through each morning at the gym; the ritual is the cab. The moment I tell the driver where to go, I have completed the ritual. It’s a simple act, but doing it the same way each morning habituates it—makes it repeatable, easy to do. It reduces the chance that I would skip it or do it differently. It is one more item in my arsenal of routines, and one less thing to think about.” Twyla Tharp

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BDNF, gateway habit, habit change, mini habits, shrink the commitment, tiny habits

SHRINK THE HABIT – SHRINK THE RESISTANCE

We all have a reluctant Elephant. Whenever we step outside our comfort zone, it can be difficult to convince our Elephant to begin. The First Rule of Behavior Change, Shrink the Habit, helps us overcome our Elephant’s resistance. The further we plan to step outside our comfort zone, the stronger the resistance. Continue reading SHRINK THE HABIT – SHRINK THE RESISTANCE

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action triggers, behavior change, environmental design, habit tracker, shape your environment, shrink the commitment

FIVE RULES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE

The Four Laws of Behavior Change developed by Atomic Habits’ author James Clear is designed to encourage good habits by reinforcing each component of the habit loop:

Cue: Make it Obvious
Craving: Make it Attractive
Routine: Make it Easy
Reward: Make it Satisfying

He reverses these four laws to break a bad habit. Make the Cue invisible, the Reward unattractive, the Routine harder to do, and the Reward unsatisfying. He does a fantastic job of providing practical suggestions for changing your habits.[i] James Clear’s book complements Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit. The Power of Habit helps us understand habits, but it isn’t a manual for behavior change. Atomic Habits answers that need. I have a narrower focus; combining behavioral science with exercise science to transform your body. Continue reading FIVE RULES FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE

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