Law #8 Negative Behaviours are overcome by Changing Incorrect Beliefs

I have been blogging about the 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management - by Hyrum Smith, for quite a few months now and I hope that at least 1 person takes out of this what I have been able to learn (and continue to learn each day).

Negative Behaviours - it's tough for us to admit to negative behaviours. Many of us somehow convince ourselves that we are behaving in a way that will lead us to reaching our goals, doing the tasks and activities that match up with our beliefs and values.  However, if you take a good long look at your actions you will probably find some negative behaviours...such as:

Overeating
Overworking
Smoking
Drinking
Bragging
Lying
Oversleeping
abusing others

And there are many more examples...Hyrum says that These types of negative behaviour are caused by "trying to meet your personal needs with incorrect beliefs".  It always comes back to your belief.

If you are trying to lose weight, but you continue to overeat...then you probably don't have the BELIEF that you can actually lose the weight.  All of the negative behaviours I listed above are addicting...once you start it's hard to stop - and you can get trapped in a cycle where you try to quit smoking, but your beliefs aren't correct, your actions aren't in line with your values, so you feel bad, so you smoke...then you feel bad that you didn't reach your goals, so you smoke.  Then you feel bad that you smoked, so you smoke.  I would say you get the point...

How do you get out of the cycle?  Or at least reset it?
You need to change your underlying belief.  This is easier said than done.  You must take a good long look at yourself and your actions and realize that your actions, your beliefs are not in line with your values.  You have to get out of the short-term benefit mindset and get into the long-term benefit mindset.  It's hard to do because our society is based upon immediate reward.

Ask yourself these questions:
What does the negative behaviour give me?
What benefits does it provide?
How does it hurt me? (and those around me)
How can I receive the same benefits through a positive behaviour?

How to change your Negative Behaviour

1.Try to refrain from doing the action or activity.  The longer you refrain, the harder it is to perform it.  This may need to be done in baby steps.  For example, if you are trying to quit smoking.  Try to go the entire day without having one - you may give in the next day.  But then if you continued to go longer and longer without having a cigarette, eventually you will go for so long without one that you don't even WANT to have one anymore.

2. Change your Environment.  If you are trying to lose weight, it may be necessary to remove ALL unhealthy food from your home.  If you are trying to quit smoking, don't hang out with smokers.

3. Surround yourself with people who already have what you want.  If you are trying to quit smoking, surround yourself with non-smokers.  If you are trying to lose weight, surround yourself with people who are healthy and fit.  If you want to get rid of your anger, surround yourself with people who don't get angry.  If you are trying to build a successful business, surround yourself with people who already have done it.

4. If it pops into your mind to do the negative behaviour - catch yourself and think of something positive or do something positive.

Always remember that the future comes one day at a time. ~ Dean Acheson

 Change brings opportunity  ~ Nido Qubein

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. ~ Reinhold Niebuhr