If you’re still thinking about making a personal improvement in the new year, consider identifying and tackling a keystone habit that, when changed, has the potential to positively impact a number of other behaviors (see Charles Duhigg’s book, The Power of Habit, for more on keystone habits).
The keystone habit with the greatest ripple effect in your life is your communication, because it’s part of everything you do. Our communication shapes and creates our relationships, and our relationships have an enormous impact on our quality of life. Communication deficiencies have far-reaching negative consequences, while good communication fuels the kind of productive and fulfilling interactions that are at the heart of our most meaningful personal and professional experiences. Good communication = good life.
Make 2013 the year you resolve to become a better communicator. Pick one specific communication skill to improve, and see if a single change might be the keystone to other positive improvements. Perhaps there’s a bad communication habit you can eliminate, or you might improve your questioning skills, or you may decide to temper your witty, but harmful, responses. Our previous blog entries cover many other communication skills that you might consider improving in 2013.
For serious personal improvement, upgrade the most pervasive keystone habit of all—your communication—and see if you can unlock a series of positive changes in the year ahead.
Originally posted on mouthpeaceconsulting.com.