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It's Not About the Alcohol


Jan 30, 2025

In this episode, Colleen shares a powerful mindset shift inspired by James Clear's philosophy: meaningful change doesn’t require radical transformation. Instead, it’s about embracing a process of incremental improvement, rooted in changing your identity and self-perception. Colleen explains why the first step to sustainable change is redefining how you think about yourself and the process of change itself, while introducing the 1% Rule to help you measure and celebrate progress.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Problem with All-or-Nothing Thinking:
    • As high achievers and perfectionists, we often set lofty, unsustainable goals that lead to burnout and self-criticism.
    • Shame-based motivation might work temporarily but isn’t sustainable—it fades as you start to feel better.
  • Identity-Based Change:
    • Real change happens when you focus on becoming the person who naturally embodies the habits and behaviors you desire.
    • Instead of focusing on perfect actions, focus on who you want to become and how she thinks, feels, and behaves.
  • Change Is a Process, Not a Decision:
    • Progress is about practicing being the person you want to become and allowing setbacks to teach you.
    • Success comes from patience, learning, and steady forward momentum, not from expecting perfection overnight.
  • The 1% Rule:
    • Measure progress in 1% increments. Focus on small, daily wins that compound over time.
    • Examples of small improvements: catching old thought patterns sooner, reducing the intensity of emotional reactions, or noticing a decrease in urges and temptations.

Action Steps:

  1. Reframe Change as a Practice:
    Visualize the version of yourself who already embodies the habits and mindset you want. Practice showing up as her in small, meaningful ways each day.
  2. Focus on 1% Progress:
    Celebrate even the smallest improvements. Over time, these incremental gains lead to exponential growth.
  3. Learn from Setbacks:
    View failures as opportunities to learn and reinforce your motivation rather than signs of defeat.
  4. Embrace Identity-Based Thinking:
    Shift your internal narrative to align with the person you want to become, rather than focusing on what you think you “should” be doing.

Homework:
Spend a few moments today connecting with the version of yourself who is clear, confident, and aligned with your goals. Identify one area where you can improve by just 1% and commit to it. At the end of the day, reflect on what went well and what you learned from the process.

Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL. If you’re ready to fully commit to your personal growth and do the work to get emotionally sober (side effects include an 80 percent reduction in drinking),You'll walk away from our call with a clear understanding of how to get the skills you need to transform your life.

 

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