All of us have had the experience of trying to make positive changes in our lives. Most of us find this very hard to do on a long-term basis. Often these changes might involve changing long-time habits or patterns that are difficult to break, and just as often, changes made are followed by "back-sliding" or reverting back to old behaviors. The good news is that there are a number of ways which we can greatly reduce the risk of that happening

Here are some proven strategies that my clients find very helpful in sustaining these important changes:

• Get Family and Significant Other Support.

The most important thing here is to ask for it. Don’t expect loved ones to "know" what you need. Loving another person is not the same as being able to mind- read. Ask for what you need and be specific. For example. "I need you to stop buying junk food and keeping it around the house. If you must buy it, buy it at work (school) and keep it there. It’s too tempting for me to have bags of my favorite chips around the house when I’m hungry, or bowls of chocolate kisses in the family room." Or," I need you to manage the kids for 20 minutes in the morning so that I can start walking".

• Find a Buddy with a Similar Goal or Interest.

For example, if you are interested in getting better at leaving work on time, find a work buddy who can support you in this goal by taking turns backing each other up, encouraging each others efforts, and sharing ideas that might work in you specific work environment. Or, if you are interested in learning a new hobby or skill, such as tennis or Japanese, find a buddy with a similar interest that you can practice your skills and share your interest with.

• Join a Group.

Always consider the option of joining a group of people with similar interests or goals that will sustain yours. This is also a way of finding a like-minded buddy (see strategy above) with whom you feel comfortable and is a similar level of skill. Group support accountability can make a huge difference in people’s ability to stick with long term goals for a sufficient time period to make a significant difference. (Note the success of Weight Watchers in this area.)

• Create a Group.

While there are groups in many areas, don’t hesitate to form

your own if there is not one that specifically meets your needs. One example might be: if you are interested in being more intellectually stimulated to start a monthly study group in your area of interest, or a book club.

• Get a Coach.

Coaching is often the ideal solution for sustainability of positive change. To quote David Chinskey,MBA,Dr.PH, a highly regarded executive coach, "Sustainability is the ultimate coaching gift". By allowing coaching clients the time to attain their defined goals , the encouragement and accountability that keeps them working at them, and the practice over time that makes them true habits, coaching can prevent the backsliding that often occurs with even the best intentioned goals. Imagine the possibilities if you were to have someone working with you on a regular basis whose only agenda was your success. Coaching can be an extremely powerful tool. Ask for recommendations from people you know and trust, and, ask the coach about their training. All individuals calling themselves a coach should either have completed coach-specific training from an ICF (International Coach Federation) accredited program and/ be working toward certification or be certified by this globally recognized professional organization.

• Keep Written Goals in Plain Sight.

There is also something very powerful about writing down your goals, very specifically, including numbers, dates, and time frames and keeping them in plain sight. Good spots to do this include the refrigerator, your desk, you bedside table where you will see them day and night. Studies show we are more likely to achieve and sustain goals if we put them in writing and in a place where we cannot "forget" our intentions.

• Visualize Your Success.

On a daily basis, preferably first thing in the morning, or last thing at night, close your eyes, relax your breathing and visualize yourself living your life with the changes you want to have happened already in place. Use as much detail as possible: where you will be, what you will be doing, who will be with you, what will they be saying about you, how you will look, what you will be thinking, and what you will be feeling. Breathe in and enjoy "being in the change". Taking just a few minutes to do this each day will greatly improve your chances of maintaining positive change by integrating these changes into your perception of yourself.

This is a just a "short list" some of the strategies I use with my clients to help them achieve and sustain their own personalized goals. To explore more ideas, or, for more information about how coaching works and a no-obligation consultation about how coaching might fit with your individual or organizational goals refer to the information below.