- People want to change, but do not know how.
- Believe the pros of changing outweigh the cons.
- Lack complete confidence in their ability to really change.
- Still have strong temptations to keep old habits.
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Few would disagree that the key to success in sports is preparation. As the NBA star makes a free throw, touching only the net, most would agree that practice and preparation often led to the success. Yet most people start their new behavior change without any planning - and then wonder why they don't succeed. Preparation can be fun - especially planning the rewards you will give yourself for meeting your goals! If done wisely, a little preparation can be the difference between success and failure. In the Preparation Stage:
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There are two major elements to this stage. One is the plan and the other is rehearsal. The plan may include elements such as purchasing an agenda book or palm pilot, or writing down healthy choices at restaurants vs fried or other fatty items. Your plan should be an elaboration of the Goal statement you created during the Commitment Stage. It should include the intermediate steps you will take to reach your goal and include what kinds of rewards you will give to yourself along the way. For example, for a weight loss goal, you would indicate what dietary changes you will be making and when, when and what kinds of exercise you will be doing, who your support system will be, how often you will be weighing yourself, and which milestones merit rewards.
The rehearsal is when you practice making that appointment with yourself to visit the gym or actually order a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a double cheeseburger. This is how you transition from Preparation to Action. You experiment with new behaviors, "sticking your toe in the water" as you build new habits. This allows you to alter your plan as needed to ensure your success. Even athletes have to practice their shots before they get in the game!
When rehearsal begins to become routine, you are in the Action Stage.
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