How to Commit to Continuous, Year-Long Change

Faithful on the Clock is a podcast with the mission of getting your work and faith aligned. We want you to understand Who you're serving and why so you can get more joy and legacy from every minute spent on the clock. Thanks for joining us and taking this step toward a more fulfilling job and relationship with God!Want to join us on social media? We'd love to have you stay up-to-date with the show on all our platforms!TwitterFacebookPinterestInstagramLinkedInYouTubeIn this episode...How to Commit to Continuous, Year-Long Change https://faithfulontheclock.com/how-to-commit-to-continuous-year-long-change You can set all the resolutions in the world, but if you’re not committed, you won’t get far. Episode 89 of Faithful on the Clock shows you how to improve the commitment you have toward any goal you might set.Timestamps:[00:04] - Intro[00:41] - Most people understand why resolutions often fail (e.g., lack of accountability, etc.).[01:25] - Honing commitment is essential for change because it allows you to fix most of the issues that cause resolutions to fail.[01:55] - Strategy #1: Consider your values. When you focus on the values you are committing to through the change and how those connect to your relationship with God, you can work for a larger purpose.[03:39] - Strategy #2: Stop thinking of long-term commitment. Break up what you have to do and then just hit repeat so you don’t get overwhelmed and quit.[05:02] - Strategy #3: Remember you are in the image of God — He follows through. We are imperfect and will make mistakes, but we still should try to do what we say we will, as He does.[06:29] - Strategy #4: Address black-and-white thinking. Give yourself leeway to learn and understand that change is a progression. Mistakes can happen along the way and do not have to take you out of the game.[08:22] - Strategy #5: Wallow in the dirt — i.e., face what truly is holding you back. Give yourself time to grieve the way you used to be so that you aren’t tempted to look back and revert to those old habits. The support of others can be enormously helpful throughout this process.[10:35] - Now that you can commit, dream, and do big things![11:05] - Prayer[11:37] - Outro/What’s coming up nextKey takeaways:People don’t keep resolutions for a host of reasons, but honing your commitment to a goal usually can preemptively address most of those reasons.Tip #1 — Consider your values. The idea is to erase the dissonance between what you believe and what you do, and to align your values to the values of God along the way. This approach reorients you toward the relationship you have with Him.Tip #2 — Stop thinking of the long-term commitment. It’s easier to persist if you take the change in small bites, getting through one instance of challenge at a time and reflecting on each success.Tip #3 — Remember you are in the image of God. Recalling your connection to Him can remind you that you are meant to imitate His consistency and integrity. You do not have to continue on your own merit, but can call up on His strength.Tip #4 — Address black-and-white thinking. By accepting that commitment doesn’t require a hard line of perfect results, you can quiet your inner critic and keep going.Tip #5 — Wallow in the dirt for a while and grieve what you will give up to make the change happen. Properly grieving enables you to let go of your old ways and look forward.CTAs:Make a list of the top three goals you want to commit to over the next year. Consider what you will need to make each of these goals a reality and investigate how to meet those needs.What’s coming up next: How does faith connect to the larger discussion on diversity and inclusion? Episode 88 of Faithful on the Clock puts religious beliefs in the D&I context.Support the show!Visit the Faithful on the Clock Patreon page to choose a tier plan and become a supporting member. You'll gain access to goodies like early episode access, newsletters, and more based on the plan that's right for you.patreon.com/faithfulontheclockWant to give a one-off tip or donation? Use our Captivate support page. You can become a member there with the same great tier options you'll find at Patreon, too.Support Faithful on the Clock