Building habits vs. Shifting identities

Quick Note From Alicia…

1) I just got back from Orlando where my husband raced the Tunnel to Towers 5k in honor of 9/11. First responders and military run it in FULL GEAR.

The race was in honor of Stephen Siller, who was just getting off shift in Brooklyn. On his way home, he heard over the scanner that a plane hit the World Trade Center.

He knew he needed to help, and immediately turned his car around. He made it as far as the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel — but it was already closed.

Not being able to drive any further, he strapped his 60 pounds of gear to his back and ran all the way to the World Trade Center.

Stephen lost his life that day trying to save others.

He left behind a wife and 5 children, and his legacy which was to "live life to the fullest and to spend our time here on earth doing good."

Today marks a day to remember. It’s also a reminder of what we can all do when we come together.

And if you want to get involved… T2T holds tower climbs and 5ks around the country. Check it out to see if there’s one in your area!

2) New Elev8 Structure: Our new newsletter flow rolls out today!

We’ll now be sending 3 emails a week (every mon, wed, and fri), each loaded up with actionable insights to help you grow and scale your business.

Plus, there will be some fun surprises along the way. 🎉 

So without further ado, let’s get this party started!

Alicia

Momentum Monday:

2 mins or less. Kickstart your week with a powerful mindset shift or conversion strategy to elevate your business and life.

Ever wonder why the most life-changing habits are the hardest to stick to?

For most people, true change doesn’t start with the action itself. It starts with the identity you adopt.

Research tells us that:

• When our behaviors align with our identity, we’re more likely to stick to them (this is called the Self-Determination Theory)
  

• Repetitive behaviors can shape our identity, and vice versa
  

• And that we actually experience discomfort when our behaviors DON’T align with our beliefs about ourselves (this is called “cognitive dissonance”).

Think about it…

If you think you look awkward on camera, how likely are you to form a habit of going live in your Facebook group every week?

On the other hand, if you believe you’re the kind of person who shines on camera, that weekly live becomes the easiest habit to check off your to-do list.

By that logic, it’s not that the habit itself is challenging — it’s that we don’t believe we’re the kind of person who engages in those behaviors. 

👉That means if you want to create habits that stick, you have to start thinking of yourself as the kind of person who does the things you want to do.

This is called building “identity-based habits”, and it’s a concept you might be familiar with from James Clear’s super-popular book Atomic Habits.

Still, how many of us actually apply this to ourselves (and our clients)?

Maybe you have a client who can’t stick to their diet no matter how many resources, checklists, or recipes you give them…

Or maybe you know that showing up on social media every day would seriously help your business, but something always “comes up”...

Although it’s possible that external factors play a role in those setbacks (like an exhausting work schedule or tech issues), it’s more likely that you or your client haven’t internalized a strong enough identity related to those goals.

In other words, habits aren’t just actions — they’re an expression of who we are and who we believe we can become.

Our challenge, then, is to address those deep-seated beliefs…

Whether you or a client is trying to adopt a new habit, start by asking:

• Who would you be if this habit came easy to you?

• How would that version of you think, act, or feel differently?

• What’s one SMALL step you can take to embody that version of you today?

Remember, it’s not about faking it til you make it…

It’s about BECOMING until you believe it. 🔥

Make it an amazing day,

Alicia