July 23, 2024 • 11 mins
#013 - Today, we explore the power of micro-actions with insights from Stephen Guise's "Elastic Habits."
By breaking down your tasks into the smallest, most manageable steps, we reveal how even the most daunting projects become achievable.
I share personal stories, and how tiny actions can catalyze significant progress and help you overcome procrastination that often holds us back.
Don't miss out on the current summer sale of The Catholic Path to Excellence program until July 31st. Just click on the link below. Discover how to enhance your life and achieve your goals through the power of micro-actions!
Are you ready to build high-impact habits of body, mind, and soul that actually stick? Check out the Catholic Path to Excellence today to find out how you can be more consistent in your habits and excel in every aspect of your life.
Feeling "stuck" in your life? Coaching could be the solution you need to break through whatever is holding you back. Book a FREE Call with me today to find out how I can help you.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to the Catholic Pursuit of
Excellence, the show that helpsyou accomplish more, stress less
and become the saint Godcreated you to be.
I'm your host, life and healthcoach, jessica Castillo, and
this is episode 13.
You're probably familiar withthe expression that to begin is
half the battle, and I thinkwe've all probably experienced
(00:26):
this in our own lives.
Sometimes the hardest part ofdoing anything or any project is
just getting over that initialhump of inertia.
How do you get yourself to takeaction on something and
actually get started doing whatyou wanted to do?
And this can apply to anything.
This can be a project, this canbe a simple task.
(00:50):
This can even be a habit thatyou're trying to build
consistently.
Whatever it is, if it's just alittle overwhelming for you to
get started, then I think you'rereally going to benefit from
this episode, because in today'sepisode, I'm going to be
talking about the very simplesolution to overcoming this
(01:12):
initial resistance and thisinertia.
And when I tell you what it is,you're going to think well,
that is too simple and too easy,but it really is very effective
.
And what it is is to break downinto the tiniest little micro
action or mini habit you can ofwhatever it is that you're
(01:34):
trying to accomplish, and thisis an idea that I actually first
read about in a book by StephenGuise called Elastic Habits.
This is a concept I've beenworking with my group coaching
clients on in the Catholic Pathto Excellence, where we're
forming and building elastichabits.
So we're looking at things andtaking basically what is the
(01:56):
tiniest, miniest version ofsomething, what is a level that
feels respectable and good?
And then what is that elitelevel or something that would be
our ideal version of a certainhabit.
So there's a lot of differentways to think about this, but
the idea is basically thatelastic habits bend but don't
break.
They flex with your energylevels and with your current
(02:17):
life circumstances.
But as I've been teaching thisconcept and exploring this
concept more in my groupcoaching program, what I've
noticed is that I've been takingand applying this concept of
the mini habit, or the microlevel of action, and really
using it all day long to applyto just about everything that I
(02:39):
need to accomplish in a day,especially if it's anything that
I'm feeling the least amount ofresistance in doing, and really
, simply, the idea is that youjust think about what is the
tiniest little action that youcould take and it would still be
taking action on that project.
So I'll give you an example.
Could be, for instance, today Ineeded to record some podcast
(03:03):
episodes.
Well, if I just look at myproject record podcast, it's a
little bit overwhelming and bigand I'm likely to feel a little
resistance to actually gettingstarted doing it.
But if I take that and break itdown into what is that first
tiniest little action that wouldget me started on this project,
(03:25):
it's really simply to open upmy master file, save it as the
new file for the new episode I'mcreating and get everything set
up in GarageBand to startrecording.
All of that only takes about 30seconds, but it's enough to
break the initial hump ofinertia if I just start doing it
.
(03:45):
And I feel like this is evenmore powerful advice than, for
instance, the advice to just dothe next right thing, because
sometimes we can get caught upin.
Well, what is that right thing?
What should I be doing next?
Now I'm drowning and I don'tknow what my priorities are and
everything's confusing.
Well, instead of thinking thatyou have to get it right, what
(04:06):
if you just have to get it tiny?
What is the smallest thing thatyou can do and just start.
That's going to make it easyfor you to break through that
initial hump of inertia, andthere's a few things that can
happen when you take thisapproach.
The first thing is you mightand this is probably the most
likely you might start and takethat tiny action and then find
(04:31):
out well, I'm already opened upinto GarageBand.
I might as well record apodcast, or I've already done
this first little step.
I might as well keep going andI can do a little bit more.
I already started that emaildraft.
I might as well just finishsending it.
Whatever it is that you werethinking that would be the micro
habit.
It's easy to just start doingthis, and I've been actually
(04:53):
applying this in just aboutevery aspect of everything that
I've had to do over the last fewweeks, because it really is so
effective, of everything thatI've had to do over the last few
weeks because it really is soeffective.
For instance, my oven wasdisgusting and stinky every time
we started using it becausesomething had dripped and it was
gross, and it's one of thosethings that I was avoiding doing
, because who likes cleaningtheir oven?
(05:14):
And I, literally the other day,was in my kitchen and I just
thought well, if I just take outthe racks and take out the
little bottom drip tray from myoven and I just set them on my
counter, that's all I have to do.
I'm just going to do that.
Well, I found once I did thattiny little action.
Actually it was fine.
(05:35):
To just go ahead and spray somecleaner in my oven and to start
cleaning those racks was really, really easy and a project that
I had been putting off.
It really didn't take me verylong to actually do once I got
started.
And so that happens with, Ithink, a lot of our projects.
They're taking up a lot ofspace in our mind.
We think about them all thetime like, oh, I need to do this
(05:57):
, I need to do this, or thelaundry is overwhelming and I
have to do all of this laundry.
Well, what if you just grabbedyour hamper and walked it down
the stairs?
That only takes a few secondsand you're just starting.
You're just building thatmomentum to do that project.
So what can happen is what Ijust explained has happened for
(06:19):
me is that I might actually justgo ahead and continue on the
project after I've taken thatfirst little micro action.
That's one thing that couldhappen.
Another thing that could happenis that you just stop there and
you let yourself be okay withjust stopping there.
Okay, and this is importantbecause it builds trust with
(06:41):
yourself.
So if you are always trying tooutsmart yourself to do
something by saying, oh well,all you have to do is just this
tiny thing, you're going to stopbelieving yourself.
You're going to think, no, youdon't expect me to just do that
tiny thing, you expect me toclimb that whole mountain
instead of just taking the firststep, and so I do not believe
you anymore.
(07:01):
Brain, I am now going to ignoreyour suggestion that I even do
a micro habit.
So at times, that little microaction, that tiny action, is
going to have to be enough.
So if I had opened upGarageBand and saved a new file
to start this podcast episodeand then I was like, well, I
(07:22):
took the micro action, I couldhave just stopped there and let
that be enough and tell my brainyou know what?
It's okay, we can do microactions and then we'll get to
the other things.
That's one option.
The other option is that oncethe other possible outcome, I
guess, is that once you actuallytake the micro action, you
(07:44):
might find that you startedbuilding so much momentum that
you not only want to completethe task that you started with a
micro habit, but you mightactually feel more energized and
have enough momentum that youwant to tackle even bigger
things.
And then you ride that wave ofmomentum and you keep on keeping
(08:06):
on.
So it's such a simple concept.
It really is.
It can be helpful to thinkabout in advance what those
little micro habits are, andthis is really helpful because
it helps us to avoid the trap ofall or nothing, which we're all
pretty prone to.
(08:26):
But if we can't do somethingperfectly or to the level that
we think it needs to be done,we're all really prone to just
do nothing at all instead.
And so what this strategy doesis it just kind of diffuses that
all or nothing, perfectionthinking, and if you find that
you're still resisting doingwhatever the thing is, you
(08:50):
probably haven't found a tinyenough action to take.
So keep thinking what is evensmaller than that that I could
do, okay?
So I hope you give thisstrategy a try this week.
Just see how it goes.
Break down your things that youneed to do into tiny, tiny
actions, and even your habitscan be broken into very tiny
(09:12):
micro habits.
That will just help you be moreconsistent in getting them done
.
Like I said, this is somethingthat I've been working with my
group coaching clients in theCatholic Path to Excellence or
the path.
We've been really focused onbuilding these elastic habits
and tracking them and holdingourselves accountable to keeping
up with them.
If this is something thatyou're interested in, if you
(09:34):
want to get the trackers that Ihave created for these things,
then I invite you to join us inthe path.
This program is pretty mucheverything you need to build and
sustain consistent, high-impacthabits of body, mind and soul.
We do a weekly training andcoaching call every Monday.
We wrap up with the weeklyreview every Friday.
(09:56):
In between, you have continuousmicro-coaching via private Slack
channel.
In between, you have continuousmicro-coaching via private Slack
channel.
I also make sure that you getevery week healthy meal plans,
recipes and shopping listsdelivered straight to your inbox
, and I create monthly workoutsand workout plans that will help
keep you moving and motivated.
So if you are interested injoining us in the Catholic Path
(10:19):
to Excellence, now is theperfect time to do it, because I
am offering a really greatsummer sale until July 31st,
where you will save $100 offeach month.
That's over 50% off each monthand you get access to everything
inside the program.
So if you're interested inlearning more about the path and
(10:40):
taking advantage of this sale,go to a thriving catholiccom
forward slash path, or you canjust click on the link in the
show notes for this episode.
Okay, that's it for me thisweek.
I hope that these micro actionswill help you take action this
week on what's most important toyou.
Until next time, remember thatit is Jesus who inspires you to
(11:02):
do something great with yourlife, so don't let yourself be
ground down by mediocrity.
Bye for now.
You're listening to the Catholic Pursuit of
Excellence, the show that helpsyou accomplish more, stress less
and become the saint Godcreated you to be.
I'm your host, life and healthcoach, jessica Castillo, and
this is episode 13.
You're probably familiar withthe expression that to begin is
half the battle, and I thinkwe've all probably experienced
(00:26):
this in our own lives.
Sometimes the hardest part ofdoing anything or any project is
just getting over that initialhump of inertia.
How do you get yourself to takeaction on something and
actually get started doing whatyou wanted to do?
And this can apply to anything.
This can be a project, this canbe a simple task.
(00:50):
This can even be a habit thatyou're trying to build
consistently.
Whatever it is, if it's just alittle overwhelming for you to
get started, then I think you'rereally going to benefit from
this episode, because in today'sepisode, I'm going to be
talking about the very simplesolution to overcoming this
(01:12):
initial resistance and thisinertia.
And when I tell you what it is,you're going to think well,
that is too simple and too easy,but it really is very effective
.
And what it is is to break downinto the tiniest little micro
action or mini habit you can ofwhatever it is that you're
(01:34):
trying to accomplish, and thisis an idea that I actually first
read about in a book by StephenGuise called Elastic Habits.
This is a concept I've beenworking with my group coaching
clients on in the Catholic Pathto Excellence, where we're
forming and building elastichabits.
So we're looking at things andtaking basically what is the
(01:56):
tiniest, miniest version ofsomething, what is a level that
feels respectable and good?
And then what is that elitelevel or something that would be
our ideal version of a certainhabit.
So there's a lot of differentways to think about this, but
the idea is basically thatelastic habits bend but don't
break.
They flex with your energylevels and with your current
(02:17):
life circumstances.
But as I've been teaching thisconcept and exploring this
concept more in my groupcoaching program, what I've
noticed is that I've been takingand applying this concept of
the mini habit, or the microlevel of action, and really
using it all day long to applyto just about everything that I
(02:39):
need to accomplish in a day,especially if it's anything that
I'm feeling the least amount ofresistance in doing, and really
, simply, the idea is that youjust think about what is the
tiniest little action that youcould take and it would still be
taking action on that project.
So I'll give you an example.
Could be, for instance, today Ineeded to record some podcast
(03:03):
episodes.
Well, if I just look at myproject record podcast, it's a
little bit overwhelming and bigand I'm likely to feel a little
resistance to actually gettingstarted doing it.
But if I take that and break itdown into what is that first
tiniest little action that wouldget me started on this project,
(03:25):
it's really simply to open upmy master file, save it as the
new file for the new episode I'mcreating and get everything set
up in GarageBand to startrecording.
All of that only takes about 30seconds, but it's enough to
break the initial hump ofinertia if I just start doing it
.
(03:45):
And I feel like this is evenmore powerful advice than, for
instance, the advice to just dothe next right thing, because
sometimes we can get caught upin.
Well, what is that right thing?
What should I be doing next?
Now I'm drowning and I don'tknow what my priorities are and
everything's confusing.
Well, instead of thinking thatyou have to get it right, what
(04:06):
if you just have to get it tiny?
What is the smallest thing thatyou can do and just start.
That's going to make it easyfor you to break through that
initial hump of inertia, andthere's a few things that can
happen when you take thisapproach.
The first thing is you mightand this is probably the most
likely you might start and takethat tiny action and then find
(04:31):
out well, I'm already opened upinto GarageBand.
I might as well record apodcast, or I've already done
this first little step.
I might as well keep going andI can do a little bit more.
I already started that emaildraft.
I might as well just finishsending it.
Whatever it is that you werethinking that would be the micro
habit.
It's easy to just start doingthis, and I've been actually
(04:53):
applying this in just aboutevery aspect of everything that
I've had to do over the last fewweeks, because it really is so
effective, of everything thatI've had to do over the last few
weeks because it really is soeffective.
For instance, my oven wasdisgusting and stinky every time
we started using it becausesomething had dripped and it was
gross, and it's one of thosethings that I was avoiding doing
, because who likes cleaningtheir oven?
(05:14):
And I, literally the other day,was in my kitchen and I just
thought well, if I just take outthe racks and take out the
little bottom drip tray from myoven and I just set them on my
counter, that's all I have to do.
I'm just going to do that.
Well, I found once I did thattiny little action.
Actually it was fine.
(05:35):
To just go ahead and spray somecleaner in my oven and to start
cleaning those racks was really, really easy and a project that
I had been putting off.
It really didn't take me verylong to actually do once I got
started.
And so that happens with, Ithink, a lot of our projects.
They're taking up a lot ofspace in our mind.
We think about them all thetime like, oh, I need to do this
(05:57):
, I need to do this, or thelaundry is overwhelming and I
have to do all of this laundry.
Well, what if you just grabbedyour hamper and walked it down
the stairs?
That only takes a few secondsand you're just starting.
You're just building thatmomentum to do that project.
So what can happen is what Ijust explained has happened for
(06:19):
me is that I might actually justgo ahead and continue on the
project after I've taken thatfirst little micro action.
That's one thing that couldhappen.
Another thing that could happenis that you just stop there and
you let yourself be okay withjust stopping there.
Okay, and this is importantbecause it builds trust with
(06:41):
yourself.
So if you are always trying tooutsmart yourself to do
something by saying, oh well,all you have to do is just this
tiny thing, you're going to stopbelieving yourself.
You're going to think, no, youdon't expect me to just do that
tiny thing, you expect me toclimb that whole mountain
instead of just taking the firststep, and so I do not believe
you anymore.
(07:01):
Brain, I am now going to ignoreyour suggestion that I even do
a micro habit.
So at times, that little microaction, that tiny action, is
going to have to be enough.
So if I had opened upGarageBand and saved a new file
to start this podcast episodeand then I was like, well, I
(07:22):
took the micro action, I couldhave just stopped there and let
that be enough and tell my brainyou know what?
It's okay, we can do microactions and then we'll get to
the other things.
That's one option.
The other option is that oncethe other possible outcome, I
guess, is that once you actuallytake the micro action, you
(07:44):
might find that you startedbuilding so much momentum that
you not only want to completethe task that you started with a
micro habit, but you mightactually feel more energized and
have enough momentum that youwant to tackle even bigger
things.
And then you ride that wave ofmomentum and you keep on keeping
(08:06):
on.
So it's such a simple concept.
It really is.
It can be helpful to thinkabout in advance what those
little micro habits are, andthis is really helpful because
it helps us to avoid the trap ofall or nothing, which we're all
pretty prone to.
(08:26):
But if we can't do somethingperfectly or to the level that
we think it needs to be done,we're all really prone to just
do nothing at all instead.
And so what this strategy doesis it just kind of diffuses that
all or nothing, perfectionthinking, and if you find that
you're still resisting doingwhatever the thing is, you
(08:50):
probably haven't found a tinyenough action to take.
So keep thinking what is evensmaller than that that I could
do, okay?
So I hope you give thisstrategy a try this week.
Just see how it goes.
Break down your things that youneed to do into tiny, tiny
actions, and even your habitscan be broken into very tiny
(09:12):
micro habits.
That will just help you be moreconsistent in getting them done
.
Like I said, this is somethingthat I've been working with my
group coaching clients in theCatholic Path to Excellence or
the path.
We've been really focused onbuilding these elastic habits
and tracking them and holdingourselves accountable to keeping
up with them.
If this is something thatyou're interested in, if you
(09:34):
want to get the trackers that Ihave created for these things,
then I invite you to join us inthe path.
This program is pretty mucheverything you need to build and
sustain consistent, high-impacthabits of body, mind and soul.
We do a weekly training andcoaching call every Monday.
We wrap up with the weeklyreview every Friday.
(09:56):
In between, you have continuousmicro-coaching via private Slack
channel.
In between, you have continuousmicro-coaching via private Slack
channel.
I also make sure that you getevery week healthy meal plans,
recipes and shopping listsdelivered straight to your inbox
, and I create monthly workoutsand workout plans that will help
keep you moving and motivated.
So if you are interested injoining us in the Catholic Path
(10:19):
to Excellence, now is theperfect time to do it, because I
am offering a really greatsummer sale until July 31st,
where you will save $100 offeach month.
That's over 50% off each monthand you get access to everything
inside the program.
So if you're interested inlearning more about the path and
(10:40):
taking advantage of this sale,go to a thriving catholiccom
forward slash path, or you canjust click on the link in the
show notes for this episode.
Okay, that's it for me thisweek.
I hope that these micro actionswill help you take action this
week on what's most important toyou.
Until next time, remember thatit is Jesus who inspires you to
(11:02):
do something great with yourlife, so don't let yourself be
ground down by mediocrity.
Bye for now.
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