Sheri Helvey

Sitting in Café DeFrance

So…it all happened last Sunday on a beautiful day here in Colorado while sitting in the Café DeFrance.  Now one might think I was having a “romantic” lunch with my husband in a sweet little café on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, but . . .  not the case….

I was actually sitting in a business training where I had many of those little “ah ha” moments that came to me and the ole’ light bulb started to shine even brighter!  Let’s fast forward to the end of the training when I wrapped my arms around a golden nugget when one of the trainers said, “Oh by the way, this is what I am doing for my team and it is working very well.  I started a ’21 Day Challenge’ for my team and if you want the details, I will send you the information.” 

Ok, so my wheels started to turn…hmmmmm ’21 Day Challenge’….that might get everyone moving on my team, including myself!  My mind went into overdrive!  

First Things First!

I immediately requested the information.  Got it.  Reviewed it.  Then sat there and said “WOW” after reading number 8:  Treat this as a “job” for 21 days, no absentee, no excuses. Work when you say you’re going to work. And let’s not forget about number 6:  Have an accountability partner and talk to your partner daily.  “DAILY?” I repeated to myself…do ya think I would be motivated if I had to let someone else know what I did that day?!?!?

At this point in time, I’m thinking how this ’21 day challenge’ thing could work in every area of a person’s life.  Want to lose weight? Do a ’21 Day Challenge”.  Want to grow your business?  Do a ’21 Day Challenge”.  Want to push your endurance for running?  Do a “21 Day Challenge”.  Want a better relationship?  Do a ’21 Day Challenge’.  You get the picture.

So Off to Google I Went …

Yes, I did Google “21 Day Challenge” just to see what would come up.  I got a wealth of information . . . would you ever doubt Google for a moment?!?!?   I had always read and heard about how it takes 21 days to form a habit, and I wanted to learn more about that.  I kept running across references in Google about a book called  “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Dr. Maxwell Maltz.  I’m thinking, I’ve heard about that book….in fact, I think I HAVE that  book sitting on my bookshelf collecting dust.  You probably don’t have any of those, right?!  ;-)   YES!!!  I found it!  Now I just need to find this 21 day habit thing they were talking about on Google.

Found it!  So Here is the Quote from Dr. Maxwell Maltz himself . . .

“It usually requires a minimum of about 21 days to effect any perceptible change in a mental image.  Following plastic surgery it takes about 21 days for the average patient to get used to his new face.  When an arm or leg is amputated, the “phantom limb” persists for about 21 days.  People must live in a new house for about three weeks before it begins to “seem like home.”  These, and many other commonly observed phenomena tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” 

It was discovered through Maltz’s research that it takes around 21 days for new pathways and connections to form in our brains.

Other studies suggest the same thing . . . that doing anything for 21 days in a row forms a habit. This may or may not hold true (there are always skeptics on every subject, and this subject is no different) however, by committing to 21 days in a row of doing ANYTHING can only be good, so why not?

I believe, you create or eliminate a habit by making a decision to do or not to do something. Once you’ve truly made that decision and you believe that you CAN do it, it will happen. But as long as it’s something you believe you SHOULD do rather than something you are truly motivated to do, it may not become a habit in 21 days.  

So, let’s go with the flow and decide that you CAN do it and that a change of habit will help you align your actions and desire.  Too often we want something, but our actions don’t match up.  So let’s dive into areas that can only be helpful in this 21 day quest for a better “something” in your life!

Take The Challenge

The 21 day figure is not set in stone, but if you are going to take the challenge seriously, then you need to do it for at least 21 days, missing no days in between. It may seem like a long time, but what is 3 weeks of daily commitment to something that can potentially change your life for the better? 

Decide what area of your life you would like to work on, or a certain way you would like to ‘be’.

Some ideas to ponder:

• Lose weight
• Quit smoking or smoke less in a day
• Grow your business
• Establish a better relationship with your spouse or kids
• Drink more water each day
• Eath healthier
• Quit drinking
• Walk your dog more
• No complaining

In determining what it is that you want to change, it will help if you follow these guidelines . . .

• Achievable: If you set your mind to it, your chances of succeeding should be high. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting your target too high!
• Measurable: Your habits should be easily measurable, not general or vague.
• Daily: Your habit should be something that you’re going to repeat everyday.
• Impact: Your intentions should have a positive impact on your life and health.
• Habit: The whole purpose of this is to implement NEW habits into your life, so it is important to set targets that you can achieve.
• Challenge: Your habits should challenge you to go out of your comfort zone.
• Commitment: Don’t write anything down unless you absolutely commit to doing it. Once you decide to do it, there’s no quitting. There’s no sitting on the fence. Commit to it wholeheartedly.

Remember, focus, determination, commitment, persistency, and a plan of action is what it will take to get you through your 21 days.  Keep your eye on the goal and make sure you find a partner to hold you accountable, or maybe even start a blog about your progress for the world to see!  

A Real Life Example

In my journey through Google, I found this post made by Dr. Janet Starr Hull that I thought was very intriguing and inspiring.  Instead of rewriting the results of her Total Life Success 21 Day Challenge, I have posted it below.  You may find the full article here.   

Total Life Success 21-Day Challenge are in and are nothing less than spectacular! This Challenge, Total Life Success’ third, was the largest and most inspiring yet. In all, sixteen entrants participated, reaching for success in four life areas including Mind, Body, Spirit and Wealth. Participants worked towards success in everything from losing weight to publishing their writings; from rediscovering the joy of a life’s work to choosing serenity.

What It Takes To Succeed

The opening days of the Challenge were incredible with more than 2500 visitors flooding the forum a day, posting over 125 messages a day encouraging Challenge participants, offering suggestions, support and cheering their efforts. As with every new challenge every participant discovered that the status quo is never broken lightly. Each and every Challenge has found participants confronted by significant obstacles within days of beginning their efforts to improve their life.

Commitment and persistence were the name of the game. Participants who succeeded in remaining focused on success shared a number of common traits. Rather than extra- ordinary effort, superhuman resources and unworldly wisdom, successful Challenge participants:

Posted Daily. Regardless of whether the day held only success or temporary setbacks and obstacles successful Challenge participants made and kept a commitment to post their actions towards success, the day’s events, and the results of their actions daily. By bringing their Challenge efforts to the Forum every day these participants held themselves accountable and received daily encouragement, support and suggestions for success. Nearly every participant that completed the Challenge mentioned this factor as one of the factors that spelled success for them.

Saw Setbacks as Temporary Situations and Not Indications of Their Disposition. Although not every Challenge participant started with a clear vision of what temporary setbacks meant for them, ALL of the Challenge participants realized by the end of the Challenge that the setbacks that are inevitable in any effort to succeed. Successful participants realized that setbacks are temporary, overcomeable (no matter how large), and relevant only to today (and not their inevitable success). Successful Challenge participants realized that obstacles, no matter how large or frustrating, only indicated what was happening and had no bearing on who they were or what they could accomplish.

Worked for Progress, Not Perfection. Not every participant that started the Challenge finished the Challenge. Successful participants quickly realized that the ideal of “perfection” — in effort, in results or in the time and opportunity to begin working for success — simply does not exist. Rather than waiting until the stars were right or they “felt” like starting, successful participants took the words of Teddy Roosevelt to heart, starting where they were, with what they had, at that precise moment in life. By not waiting for perfection, they didn’t blindly insist that their efforts match the unrealistic ideal of perfection. They realized that insisting on perfect performance, perfect action and perfect thinking only burned themselves out, discouraged themselves and set up unrealistic barriers to success. The successful participants worked for progress towards their goal, realizing that, that is the only way to reach success.

Set Goals That Captured Their Imagination. The most successful Challenge participants set goals that mattered to them. By choosing a success that fired up their own passions Challenge participants used the power of their imagination and the power of a goal geared to their ultimate capabilities rather than boring themselves with someone else’s idea of success or of a level of success well below their capabilities. Rather than aiming too high and setting themselves up for failure; rather than aiming too low with an uninspiring and lackluster task, successful participants choose and began working on a success that stoked the fires of their potential – no matter how high they had to reach to achieve it.

So….What If?  What if . . . You Started a 21 Day Challenge and it Worked?!

Imagine the possibilities!  Only 3 weeks out of your life to really focus on something that could change your life for the better.  Would it be worth the time and effort?  Only you can decide that for sure.

If you decide to go forth with a 21 Day Challenge in any area of your life, please keep me updated with your progress and leave me a comment! 

Wishing you a lifetime of prosperity, abundance and freedom,

Sheri Helvey