Day 10: What Kind of Support Do You Need?

What Kind of Support Do You Need?

I don’t care who you are or what you are trying to learn. When you’re learning something new, it’s best to have support. Many of us get stuck or give up because we believe not knowing something is a sign of weakness, so we cut ourselves off from one of the crucial components for success: help from the outside. 

Previously in Series:
Become A Tracker

Next in Series:
Think Like a Scientist

Go to The Intent Learning Series Homepage

The question when you are bringing something new into being is not whether you need help, but what kind of help do you need? Support comes in all kinds of forms—someone who’s been there before you who can help you avoid pitfalls; a partner who will practice with you; a group who are all working on the same thing; a friend who you report into; a coach who helps you stay accountable to yourself; a therapist who can help you uncover long-buried feelings; a board of advisors to help you build your construction business.

That’s what’s so great about Intent.com. It offers support in a variety of ways — a way to stay focused on your intention, connection to others on the journey, and content directly related to the changes you want to make. In fact, you can make this online learning series – to achieve your specific intention – one of the intents on your Intent.com profile and support others doing the online learning series as well.

One of the best things outside support can do for us is to help hold ourselves accountable and create deadlines. This is critical when what you want to bring into being is not asked for from the outside. Organizing your house, starting your own business, writing a memoir, losing 20 pounds — these are things you want to do because you want to. No one is demanding it of you. Without someone to be accountable to, it’s easy to slip back into the status quo.

Don’t discount legal chemical support too. Our brain chemistry has a lot to do with the actions we take or don’t. If you are seriously depressed or extremely anxious, it’s hard to get into motion or sustain forward action. And if you are subject to binge behavior of any sort — sex, eating, drinking, shopping — it could be that your serotonin level is out of whack. Serotonin has been shown to inhibit impulsive behavior and improper functioning has been associated with heavy drinking and eating disorders.

To Try: What kind of support do you need? One way to begin to answer the question is to ask yourself: When I’ve accomplished something in the past, who or what helped me do it? Any accomplishment will do. Now think of another. What helped you do that? Think about a third. Is a pattern emerging of the kind of support you need? Now go out and get it.

COMING NEXT WEEK: How to Stay Motivated

Ready to get started? Post your intent and find community support and content to help you achieve it!

Adapted from This Year I Will…: How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True