Spirals
📪 The Optimal Agent Newsletter #043
Take Action:
Bring awareness to your keystone behaviors.
Why It Matters:
Your keystone behaviors are those that beget others, kicking off spirals either positive or negative. When you bring awareness to these behaviors, you can seek or avoid them as necessary — setting the trends that ultimately determine your future.
How To Do It:
Positive keystones. List three behaviors that lead to upward spirals. For instance, telling your closest friends you love them may lead to feelings of safety, belonging and care, giving you the reassurance you need to take authentic emotional risks in other areas of your life.
Negative keystones. Do the same with three behaviors that lead to downward spirals. For instance, yelling at other motorists during your morning commute may lead to anxiety, helplessness, and rage — leading you to respond harshly to innocent coworkers in the following hours.
Upward regularly. Choose at least one positive keystone to pursue regularly. Commit to it for a few consecutive days, paying special attention to the results.
Downward rarely. Bring awareness to your negative keystone behaviors, attempting to end them as quickly as possible once they start. Note the feeling of control and Agency that results.
Explore More:
Listen or Watch: O.A. Podcast Episode #43, where we discuss the why and how of our first Behavior of the Healthspan Enlightened — the positive keystone “Exercise First” (Audio / YouTube)
Read: Charles Duhigg’s Readers Guide to Changing Habits (PDF)— a beautiful synopsis of Duhigg’s extraordinary work for exactly $0.
P.S. We love you. Thanks for listening to the podcast.
