Positive Psychology Column for 10-5-03 By Tom Muha, Ph.D. STEPS TO SUCCESS Tiger Woods is arguably the best golfer of all time.  Certainly he has been the top player in the PGA over the past several years. It seems logical to assume that in order to achieve this level of success Tiger has extraordinary willpower and self-discipline.  But that’s not the case.  The fact is that Tiger has a brilliant understanding of the power choosing to live by a set of positive routines that enable him to automatically function at the top of his game. A man with obvious talent, Tiger attributes his success to a fierce dedication to maintaining positive routines in his daily life.  Having established positive rituals to manage all aspects of his life - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual - Tiger has achieved the ability to consistency perform at his best. Studies from the new science of success and satisfaction have found that only about 5% of a human beings behavior is based on conscious choices.  The other 95% of our actions are automatic reactions to the demands and anxieties of life. Our capacity for exerting conscious control over our lives is limited, making willpower an easily depleted resource.  Therefore, it is extremely important to establish positive rituals that will rule our lives without having to think much about when, where or how a set of behaviors will occur. People who perform successfully have learned the wisdom of acquiring positive routines.  Imagine the many hours of training that an athlete puts into practicing before he makes the clutch shot at the end of the game. Think of special forces soldiers or FBI swat teams who train relentlessly in order to be able to function well under pressure. But the same is true for ordinary citizens, as found in high functioning families where the parents create a well-structured environment.  Family dinners and bedtime rituals, for example, are highly effective means of maintaining a positive bond between parents and kids. These kinds of routines create a stable structure in our lives that brings us comfort and a sense of security.  It is only within the continuity of such a framework that we are able to relax and allow ourselves to function at our best. A large body of research has shown that building successful routines into your life is directly linked to three factors: establishing specific times, practicing a precise sequence of new behaviors, and holding yourself accountable.  After adhering to rigid routines for an acquisition period of 30 - 60 days, the successful behaviors will occur automatically, even when you’re under a considerable amount of stress. Consider resolutions that you have made in the past to start exercising or dieting.  Most likely you started out well for a few days and then lapsed back into your old habits.  That happens for several reasons.  First, you probably did too much too soon, getting sore from too strenuous a workout or hungry from too strict a diet.  That likely left you feeling frustrated and reinforced your pessimistic belief that you’ll never be able to change.  When working to create new lifestyle habits, start slow and small.  The goal is to change the way you live your life for years to come.  It’s far better to get your athletic shoes on and walk for 15 minutes every other day at first.  Or to start a new eating pattern by adding one healthy element to your diet, such as beginning to eat a little something healthy for breakfast. As you experience success, you will build the confidence you need to remain persistent and to improve upon what you’ve started.  You can then add more time to your workouts as well as other modifications to your meals. Another key component to include in the change process is planning.  Most people try to squeeze new behaviors into their already overcrowded schedules.  Instead, start each day by looking at what’s on your agenda.  Then ask yourself what you value the most, and make time for what’s important to you. For example, if you think having a healthy body is more important than making more money for the people who own your company, then you’ll set an exact time frame for walking and you’ll start packing a healthy lunch rather than rushing off to work. You are, indeed, a creature of habit.  Your power to choose the level of success you have in life is directly linked to the patterns of behavior that you institute. Next week: accountability!   Tom Muha is a psychologist in Annapolis. He welcomes your comments and questions. To contact him call (443) 454-7274 or email him at tom@achievinghappiness.com.