Who Do You Need to Be to Achieve Your Vision?

Take a look at this quote…

“Many people begin the process of changing their habits by focusing on what they want to achieve. This leads us to outcome-based habits. The alternative is to build identity-based habits. With this approach, we start by focusing on who we wish to become.”

Okay…name the author and the book!

Ding-ding-ding! You win a prize if you said the author is James Clear, and the book is: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.

He’s one of my favorite authors, and this book is a go-to of mine! (So much so that there are many passages highlighted, and the pages are slightly worn from frequent reading and referencing.)

But I wanted to bring “Atomic Habits” into the discussion today because what James Clear shares is so important as you answer this question: Who do I need to be to achieve my vision?

As we wrap up 2021 and look ahead to 2022, I know you are probably revisiting your vision. I know that I am. So it’s the perfect time to reconnect with, modify it (if needed), and look at who you need to be to achieve it.

Notice, I didn’t say, “look at what you need to do to achieve it.”

Because I’m with James on this one, you need to create identity-based habits when it comes to your vision. Yes, there are desired outcomes that you want – but the only way you’re going to get them is to become the person you want to be.

James Clear went on to explain:

“New identities require new evidence. If you keep casting the same votes you’ve always cast, you’re going to get the same results you’ve always had. If nothing changes, nothing is going to change.”

It is a simple two-step process:

Decide the type of person you want to be.
Prove it to yourself with small wins.”

We’ve all heard that expression “If nothing changes, nothing is going to change,” – but when’s the last time you took it to heart?

As you wrap up Q4, and while you’re looking at your vision, creating goals, and coming up with the action steps – I want you to take it one step further. I want you to think about who you need to be to bring these things to fruition.

And keep in mind, it may mean making some changes, creating new habits, and proving to yourself that you can do it.

I’m going to leave you with one more of my favorite quotes from James Clear:

“The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity. It’s one thing to say I’m the type of person who wants this. It’s something very different to say I’m the type of person who is this.”