When we’re looking to change something in our life, it’s tempting to go in search of a silver bullet — something that will magically make everything better. Maybe it’s a new gadget, or routine, or diet, or productivity hack. And we think that if we find it, it will change everything. I know that I’ve been down that road before.
Yet lasting change starts with something far deeper than just a new technique or tool. It starts with a choice to change. And while a system or plan may help, there are times when searching for the next new thing can actually get in the way. Because if we trust that the new system is going to help us change, and it doesn’t, we can just shift the blame, and continue the search for something else. But doing this can keep us from facing the bigger question: How much do we actually want to change? And do we want to change more than the competing desires we face?
The key to change isn’t some secret we have yet to discover. It starts with a decision that things will be different — no matter what. And although this choice doesn’t mean everything will be easy, or we’ll never experience setbacks, it does provide a foundation for change that a tool or technique never can.