Changes

==== Motivate and change your behavior ====

==== Motivate and change your behavior ====

When someone has successfully figured out what needs to change, they then must build up motivation to enact the change. This is the focus of the [[Habits]] and self improvement community. Tracking is useful here too. Do not dismiss failure as a lack of willpower because willpower is still brain chemistry and easily manipulable by outside factors. For example; sometimes lack of willpower is caused by health problems, sometimes just a bit too much friction can shut down motivation and productivity, or making a habit mildly more fun makes the habit something to look forward to.

When someone has successfully figured out what needs to change, they then must build up motivation to enact the change.This is the focus of the [[Habits]] and self improvement community. Tracking is useful here too. Do not dismiss failure as a lack of willpower because willpower is still brain chemistry and easily manipulable by outside factors. For example; sometimes lack of willpower is caused by health problems, sometimes just a bit too much friction can shut down motivation and productivity, or making a habit mildly more fun makes the habit something to look forward to. Avoid relying on willpower and instead get yourself to want (motivate) the new behavior. 

Health tracking, (or rather mood tracking), can detect problems and determine the best behavior change technique for each individual.  

Health tracking, (or rather mood tracking), can detect problems and determine the best behavior change technique for each individual.  

Tracking is itself motivating. Most smart watches, the most popular wearable, produce lots of motivating information and nudges. [[Gamification]], the idea of dressing up real world as a game to make real world things more fun, seems popular and it requires some tracking. The self tracker has access to many other behavior change techniques, including; cool new tech, cool art, competition, empowering healthful communities, financial punishment, and guilt. Just watching the numbers improve or even be recorded can be motivating and build healthy habits; according to personal experience [[User:DG|DG]] ([[User talk:DG|talk]]) and Atomic Habits book. Feeling in control, and mastering yourself and skills, can be strong intrinsic motivation.   

Tracking is itself motivating. Most smart watches, the most popular wearable, produce lots of motivating information and nudges. Share accomplishments with friends to get external motivation. [[Gamification]], the idea of dressing up real world as a game to make real world things more fun, seems popular and it requires some tracking. The self tracker has access to many other behavior change techniques, including; cool new tech, cool art, competition, empowering healthful communities, financial punishment, and guilt. Just watching the numbers improve or even be recorded can be motivating and build healthy habits; according to personal experience [[User:DG|DG]] ([[User talk:DG|talk]]) and Atomic Habits book. Feeling in control, and mastering yourself and skills, can be strong intrinsic motivation.   

Unfortunately, when things are not going well, people will become demotivated and even hide the event from their history.  The negative effects of self tracking on motivation is mentioned in section arguments against tracking.

Unfortunately, when things are not going well, people will become demotivated and even hide the event from their history.  The negative effects of self tracking on motivation is mentioned in section arguments against tracking.