It Only Takes One Thing To Change Everything

Have you ever noticed than once you start a new positive habit everything else starts to fall in place?

When you start going to the gym regularly, you find yourself eating healthy.

Do push-ups daily, and then before you realize it you are doing a full body work out.

Start waking up early, you become happier because you’re and less stressed and get more things done.

Pick up one dirty sock and before you know you’ve cleaned not only your room but the whole house.

Every new habit you start creates a ripple effort in another area of your life. You feel more energized than ever before. Why is that?

Enter the Domino Effect.

The domino effect refers to a cumulative phenomenon where one event sets off a chain of similar events. The effect originated from the dominoes show where dominoes are arranged in upright in a row a manner such that each domino is separated by a small distance. If you topple one domino, it knocks over the next domino in line and so on triggering a chain reaction in which each domino’s fall is caused by the domino immediately preceding it.

I noticed the shape on my legs changing to well-toned after regular running. So, I asked myself Why not try exercising my arms? The next day I was doing push up starting first with the easy variations. Then I felt my tummy and I could feel that belly fat. Of course, I could do better so I did abdominal exercises. The result, my tummy became flat and there was a glimmer of hope for a six-pack.

I was astounded by the results. Of course, I wasn’t ripped like those Instagram dudes. But those results were enough to make me do chest exercises. I did a variation of declined, close-grip, and diamond pushups. What started as a running routine now became a full body work out. At the time I couldn’t explain it but now I know it was the Domino effect.

You might have noticed the same pattern in your life as well. When you change a behavior a chain reaction is activated and other behaviors you didn’t intend to change also change.

But there’s a catch…The domino effect works for negative habits as well. For example, you might want to check emails on your phone. One hour later you realize you have been mindlessly scrolling through social media. Bam! That’s an hour of productive work gone and you also missed a deadline.

The domino effect also makes it’s hard for us to change negative behaviors. And that’s because our behaviors are connected. Therefore, to change one bad behavior, you’ll have to change all other inter-connected behaviors.

To make the domino effect work for you, there three rules you need to follow:

· It doesn’t matter which domino falls first. Pick a habit you’re most motivated to do –a small habit and do it consistently.

· Once you’ve gained moment let it carry you to the next task you’re motivated to finish. Each repetition builds a new self-belief and leads what we call identity- based habits.

· The domino effect is about progress, not perfection. When a habit fails to cascade you automatically to the next task, start again. Once you’ve momentum, each domino knocks down the next and a chain of desirable habits is created.

One initial habit is likely to trigger a chain reaction of habits –whether positive or negative. Take note of how the domino effect has affected your life so far. If the domino effect is positive, use it to create more positive habits. If negative, use it to cherry-pick your inter-connected behaviors and change them.

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