Creating and Maintaining Purposeful Behaviour

Recently I was asked by a Life Coach about what I taught my clients regarding purposeful behaviour. Now, some people will tell you that behaviour is driven by your values! My question is, what are your values driven by? Please think about that for a moment! I advised him that my belief is that Awareness leads to Attitude, Attitude leads to Habits, and Habits lead to Action (Behaviour). So, here is my 4 steps process to creating and maintaining positive behaviour!

1.) Awareness – everything starts with awareness. If you are to create and maintain purposeful behaviour, you absolutely must expand your awareness, and realise what is purposeful for you! Do you know what your purpose in life is? To create and maintain purposeful behaviour, it is integral to know your purpose in life, and know the purpose of doing something that you wish to do! In the past I consulted with clients who did not know their purpose in life, and the common denominator between these clients was that they all lacked positive action! For example, if you wish to achieve a particular goal, you must realise what the purpose of that goal is! Achieving the goal is one thing, realising the purpose of that goal is another! Everything that you do, does have a purpose. If you are not aware of, or are aligned with the purpose of what you are wanting, chances of achieving it may get slimmer! I recall, in 2010, I consulted with a client who wanted to leave behind smoking and drinking! My focus was to get him aligned with the purpose of wanting to leave behind smoking and drinking! That is when awareness comes in. You must be aware of the purpose! Education is the key to awareness. Constantly immerse yourself in educating yourself about you, and things which are important to you! I dedicated an entire chapter to awareness in my book because I believe that awareness is the most important starting point in allowing us to live a purpose driven life! Become fully aware of who you are, and why you do, what you do!

2.) Attitude - once your awareness starts to shift, your attitude will start to shift as well. Sometimes we have to consciously work on our attitude! If our work on our awareness is effective, then our attitude will follow our awareness. Our attitudes will dictate our outlook in life! Hence, we would be in a better position to look for the purpose (not only in life in general, also in goals that we set or things that we desire to achieve). To have an attitude that serves you in creating and maintaining positive behaviour, you must take in inventory of your current attitude(s). Then thoroughly review your attitude(s), and ask “How can I change my attitude(s) to serve me in creating purposeful behaviour?” Constantly work on your attitude! Also, please have more of an attitude of gratitude! Allow your attitude to make you more grateful in life, and for life! More gratitude means a more purposeful attitude.

3.) Habits – Habits dictate your behaviour on a subconscious level! Do you now realise that habits must be altered by using your attitude and awareness? Eluding to my earlier example of supporting my client who wanted to leave behind smoking and drinking, it was a habit that he had created! To change this habit for the better, he had to make purposeful changes to his awareness and attitudes. Most of the things that we do on a mundane level are habitual! These habits were created by you, not by anyone else. Sure, some people may have influenced you in creating these habits. Yet, you are ultimately responsible for creating and maintaining your habits. The good news is that you are at liberty to create purposeful habits, and maintain them as well. To do so, you must align yourself with a purpose! Then ask yourself “What types of habits will support my purpose?” As Dr Joseph Murphy put it, “Your environment is a perfect reflection of your habitual thinking."

4.) Action (Behaviour) – now that your awareness, attitude, and habits are supporting you, your actions will automatically follow your awareness, attitude, and habits! There will be times where you will have to question your actions and ask “Are my actions aligned with my awareness, attitude, and habits, in letting me be purposeful?” That is when you must focus on what your awareness is about your purpose or a purpose, and the behaviour that must follow! Taking purposeful action can be driven by what you want, and what you will do with what you want, when you get it! Action is the greatest way to beat procrastination, which can hold you back in living a purposeful life!

I hope that these four steps will enhance your ability to maintain purposeful behaviour!

Inspiring you to achieve more,

Ron Prasad (Author, Speaker, Life Coach & Executive Coach)
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