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Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

First, Make Your Habit Obvious

A small change in what you see can lead to a big shift in what you do. [1]

“You don’t have to be the victim of your environment. You can also be the architect of it.” -James Clear

Example: [1]

Craig Groeschel prioritizes taking his daily supplements. He takes them first thing in the morning. He believes his supplements provide him with a mental edge. To ensure he takes them first thing, he puts them on the counter where he cannot miss them.

Behavioral scientists in Great Britain did a study involving a couple hundred people who wanted to start exercising.

The people were divided into three groups.

Group:

1 – Committed to exercising.

2 – Committed to exercising and reading lots of material on the benefits of exercising.

3 – Committed to exercising and chose the day, time, and place to exercise.

Who kept their commitment?

1 + 2 – Only 36 percent of the first two groups kept their commitment.

3 – 91 percent kept their commitment.

Barely a third of the people in the first two groups succeeded, but more than nine of ten who committed to a time and place met their goals! [1]

Why?

They made their goals obvious by preloading their decisions.

You can make it even more obvious by tying your new habit into something you already do.

I will _ after I __.

Habitologists call connecting a new habit to a current habit “habit stacking.” [1]

This is how our brain works.

Your brain builds up connections between neurons that are used frequently. Your brain removes connections between neurons that are not used. (That process is sometimes called “synaptic pruning.”) [1]

Those removed or “pruned” connections are why it’s so difficult to remember something you rarely do and so challenging to start doing it. [1]
Morning Routines

Example: [1]

Craig Groeschel’s Morning Routine

1. My alarm goes off, waking me up.
2. 18o to the bathroom. (Not a chosen habit, but you gotta do
3. what you gotta do.)
4. After going to the bathroom, I do my Bible plan.
5. After doing my Bible plan, I pray.
6. After praying, I read my daily declarations.
7. After reading my daily declarations, I make my oatmeal and put twelve berries in it. (Some days I go crazy and do up to fifteen!)
8. After eating my oatmeal (and berries), I take my supplements.
9. After the supplements, I take a shower.
10. After my shower, I shave.
11. After I shave, I get dressed.
12. After I get dressed, I pray with Amy.
13. After I pray with Amy, I leave for work

Second, Make Your Habit AttractiveThe reason you do most of what

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Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

Craig Groeschel tells a great story about his dog Sadie.

Sadie follows predictable routines based on visual cues.

We tend to do the same thing. Like Sadie, we are creatures of habit. We respond to simple cues.

And if we’re going to start healthy habits and stop hurtful ones,

We need to first make sure we understand how habits work.

What Is a Habit?

A habit is like autopilot or cruise control for the brain. The human brain seeks out ways to save energy. One of the ways it accomplishes this is through habits. Habits allow us to do things without engaging the brain to think about them or the need to make decisions.

A habit allows good or bad behavior to happen without your brain having to take charge. -Craig Groeschel
How Are Habits Born?

1. Cue
2. Response
3. Reward

James Clear adds a fourth option:

1. Cue
2. Craving
3. Response
4. Reward [2]

Cue 

A trigger that alerts your brain to go into autopilot by engaging the habit. [1]

Craving

The craving is the physical, mental, or emotional need the cue leads you to want to satisfy.

Response

The response is the behavior you routinely fall into.

Reward

The reward is how the behavior makes you feel.

If you engage in the same loop–cue, craving, response, reward–enough times, the process will become automatic. -Craig Groeschel
Get Intentional About Your Cues

1. Place
2. Time
3. Mood
4. Moments
5. People

PLACES

"A place can be the cue that initiates a habit loop." [1]

Example: When you get in bed, your body knows it is time to sleep.

TIMES

“Certain times can trigger behaviors.”

Example: If you typically exercise early in the morning, you might feel inspired to go for a run or ride a bicycle.

At night, when everyone is asleep, you may tend to worry as you lie in bed.

"Time and place matter a lot. When we create a plan for establishing new habits and ending old ones, time and place will be essential." [1]

Here’s our strategy:

1. We will create time and place triggers to start a good habit.
2. We will remove time and place triggers to stop a bad habit.

MOODS

"Moods can cue cravings and lead us into behaviors." [1]

HALT Acronym

Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. [1]

MOMENTS

"Certain types of moments launch specific habit loops." [1]

PEOPLE

"Wrong people can be cues that lead us in the wrong direction. The good news is that right people can trigger right behavior. Studies prove that the closer you get to someone, the more likely it is you’ll have the same habits." [1]
Exercise

Working through the five major triggers/cues, list positives and negatives for each in your life right now. Remember, these are to discover consistent tendencies, not one-off incidents. [1]

PLACES

Places that cue a positive response:

Places that trigger a negative response:

TIMES

Times that cue a positive response:

Times that trigger a negative...

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Episode Description

In this episode, we discuss the chapter Flossing Saved My Life. In this chapter, we learn how small habits can make a big difference. This is part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

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Episode Description

In this episode, we discuss the chapter, Change Your Life - Change Your Habits. This is part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

Connect

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Leave A Review

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Sources:

[1] Groeschel, C. (2023). The Power to Change: Mastering the Habits That Matter Most. Zondervan.

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Episode Description

In this episode, we discuss I'm in Training. This is part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

Connect

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter

💼 Connect on LinkedIn

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Leave A Review

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description

In this episode, we discuss strategic habits. This is part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

Connect

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter

💼 Connect on LinkedIn

📷 Connect on Instagram 

Leave A Review

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Sources:

[1] Groeschel, C. (2023). The Power to Change: Mastering the Habits That Matter Most. Zondervan.

Enjoy Overflow content? Leave a tip here https://pages.overflow.community/products/tip-jar

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

“Discipline is choosing what you want most over what you want now.” -Craig GroeschelRecap

Last week we discussed training versus trying.

Here’s a brief recap.

• Trying doesn't work. Training does.
• Trying is an attempt to do the right thing by exerting effort in the moment.
• Training is a commitment to strategic habits you do before the moment that equip you to do the right thing in the moment. [1]

Embrace training versus trying will require discipline.

Discipline is painful.

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬You are going to experience pain. Discipline may feel painful, but if you don’t live a disciplined life, you will experience the pain of regret. Craig Groeschel

Pastor Craig goes on to say, “Not choosing what you want now feels painful. But if you do choose what you want now, you will later experience the pain of not having what you want most.” [1]

Choose your pain.

• Discipline - The pain of not getting what you want now.
• Regret - Not having what you want most.

Desire alone won’t get you what you want most, but discipline will. Craig Groeschel

But I am not a disciplined person.

You might be thinking, I am just not a disciplined person. I understand how you are feeling, but this is simply NOT TRUE.

When most people consider whether or not they are disciplined, they tend to focus on the areas of their lives where they lack discipline.

How do I know this?

This is me. I see all of the areas I want to change, yet have failed to do so. I’d bet you do something similar.

You are disciplined.

In his book, Pastor Craig says, “Think of discipline as choosing to do what’s important to you. You repeatedly do some things that are important to you. You eat. You sleep. Those are disciplines.”

There’s a good chance you also do certain disciplines that aren’t good for you. These disciplines are not helping you and could be hurting you.

Examples:

• Overeating when you are stressed.
• Binging hours of tv when you really desire relationships.
• Ruminating all of the worst-case scenarios.
• Checking the locks 20 times before you go to bed. Just to be sure you are safe.

These are also disciplines.

Your desires don’t determine who you become. Your disciplines do. -Craig Groeschel

NOTE: While I have certainly been guilting of those last two examples, I know how difficult it can be to stop. I am not trying to shame anyone, I am trying to help you see other examples of disciplines. Disciplines that involve mental health. There is a lot behind all of those disciplines, and there’s nothing easy about stopping them. Please know that it is possible!

Exercise

Identify the top three areas in your life where you feel you lack discipline.

Next, identify the top three areas in your life where you exhibit the most discipline.

In the parts of

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Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

” Winners don't try, they train." -Craig GroeschelWhat do winners do differently?A Quick Review

Let's pick up from where we left off in The Thing About Goals.

Why are goals are important?

Goals give us direction and inspiration.

Just like Paul, we must realize that having a goal is NOT enough.

We must define our win.

"Defining your win is how you begin." Craig Groeschel

Remember...

“Defining the win is not how you win but how you begin.” Craig Groeschel

Trying Doesn't Work

Look back at all of the things you tried to do, but failed. Most likely you failed because you were trying not training.

"Trying is an attempt to do the right thing by exerting effort in the moment." Craig Groeschel

If we want to create lasting change, we need to switch from trying to training.

Mental Health Struggles

If you struggle with mental health and desire positive change in your life, you will not get there simply by trying hard. Most likely you have already taken that approach and were disappointed with the results. Keep working to implement change in this way and you are likely to end up depressed and defeated. If you want different results, it will require intentional and deliberate practice over time.

We Need More Power

I would also like to note that just because you are intentional and practice deliberately over time, it does not mean you will succeed. Changes to our mental health involve trauma and other factors(layers). Relying on human power alone whether you are trying or training often leads to defeat. The reality is that human power is limited and quickly dries up.

We must learn to acknowledge our limitations and understand the power that is available to us today.

“I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” ‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

More To Come

We will dig into this more in the future, but like Paul I "pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him." Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬

A Training Mentality

No one in history accomplished anything great just because they tried real hard. In one way or another they were intentional much like an athlete goes into training to prepare for a competition.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training... 1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”

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Defining your win is how you begin. [1]Goals Give Direction"Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, a city in Greece." [1]"Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!" ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬"I don't run without a goal. And I don't box by beating my fists in the air." ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭26‬ ‭CEV‬‬

"After winning a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Mauro Prosperi decided to compete in the 1994 ultramarathon in Morocco--a weeklong race. Mauro disappeared on the fourth day. He ran into a sandstorm, which caused him to go 181 miles off course. He had no idea where he was going. He was completely lost but still continued to run for nine days!” [1]

You cannot do what you don’t define. Craig Groeschel

Define your win

Pastor Craig’s win:

"To create moments of extraordinary impact with my kids." [1]

Goals Give Inspiration

Before and After Pictures

A Biblical before and after picture.

Key moment:

Paul was on the road to Damascus to persecute more Christians when a bright light surrounded him.

Before this moment, Paul went around killing Christians.

Afterward, he became one of the Christians he used to hunt.

God extended grace to Paul, so Paul’s win became sharing God’s grace by preaching the Word of God.

What led Paul to define his win:

"You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being." Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

"Defining the win is not how you win but how you begin." [1]

So, how do you win?

“You win when you quit trying.” [1]

Exercise

What are the primary areas of your life where you need to establish a win?

Examples:

• Career
• Finances
• Health
• Marriage
• Parenting
• Relationship with God

My win is to:

State your goal and who you will share it with for support.

My goal is:

And I commit to sharing this goal with:

Principle

Defining your win is how you begin.

Run to win! 1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT

Sources:

[1] Groeschel, C. (2023). The Power to Change: Mastering the Habits That Matter Most. Zondervan.

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Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

God Changed People’s Names

• Abram became Abraham
• Sarai became Sarah
• Jacob became Israel
• Simon became Peter

Abraham – “father of many”

Sarah – “princess, mother of nations.”

Jacob – “supplanter,” The second born, tricked his father Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing.

Gideon – the angel showed up and said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12

Why did God change people’s names?

“Because he knew who they truly were, who they would become, and what they needed to do.”

Abram and Sarai were going to have children and become the father and mother of the nation of Israel.

Jacob’s children would become the original twelve tribes of Israel.

Gideon would become the mighty warrior who led God’s people into battle against the Midianites.

Peter would become a foundation, a stabilizing influence for the early church.

“God changed their names because change starts with your identity. You do what you do because of what you think of you. For them to do what they needed to do, they first had to think the right thing about themselves.”“For you to do what you need to do, for you to change, you first need to think the right thing about yourself. You need to know your true identity, understand your true identity, and start with your identity. You start with who, not do. Why? Because your identity drives your behavior. If you don’t start with your identity, any behavior change you make won’t last.”Exercise

Complete this open-ended sentence with true aspects of your life: If today, I lost [blank], I would feel totally lost and not know what to do.

Examples: a job, money, social status, a talent or skill

Describe how each aspect of life you wrote down is connected to who you are- -your identity and not just what you do.

How can you turn each one from do to who? How can you surrender that aspect of your life to the point where, if God took it away, you’d still be okay?

Example: I feel like my career has become who lam, not just what I do. But if I got let go or could no longer do that work, I would still be a child of God, still have my life, calling, and family. I would still have the most important things in my life.

Principle

To change, you need to think the right thing about yourself, know your true identity, and start your identity with who, not do.

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.-Philippians 1:6 NLT
🔗 CONNECT

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⭐️ Leave A Review

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Sources:

Groeschel, C. (2023).