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Reinforce New Changes
Your brain is like any other mammalian brain in that it needs reinforcement of new behavior. Training dog brain is a good example. Once your dog learns to do a new behavior, let’s say, sit on command, you give your dog a treat, a slice of hot dog or other succulent dog candy. And then you repeat. You say “Sit,” the dog sits and gets the reinforcement or treat. Before long your dog has learned a new trick.
New tricks do not last long if they are not reinforced repeatedly. What will you give yourself as reward to sustain and further ingrain new behaviors and changes you are bringing about? This is critical. Lose a pound, by a new garment. Stop drinking for another week, install a new stereo in your car. Quit biting your fingernails for three days in a row and reward yourself with a massage or something else you value which your brain will connect to the new behavior.
Dog brains, human brains, dolphin brains, your brain; it doesn’t matter. These brains figure out quickly that if they do the new requested behaviors or changes they will get a reward, something they want and want to keep getting.
The Four Psychological Tools of Strategic Personal Change
- Awareness and Insight
- Contemplation (First, identify options. Second, evaluate outcomes of each option)
- Slow, Small, Steady, Secret Steps to Lasting Change
- Reinforce/Reward New Changes
Using these powerful and effective personal strategies for change, you can use psychology to change habits and behavior lifestyle obstacles for better living.