What is Self-interruptionTM?
Self-interruption transforms habits by rewiring how you think about them.
By using TraitTrack, you will continuously reinforce the association of your traits you want to improve with your habits, behaviors, and actions. One result of doing this is that when you are about to perform an action you have associated with a trait, you will think of the trait. Here, you’ll get an opportunity to change the habitual action you were about to perform, before engaging in a behavior you are trying to avoid. We call this Self-interruption.
For example, assume that you are a person who often spends too much money on unnecessary things. You consistently find yourself browsing your favorite online stores on your phone in the evening while you are winding down…
When you built your custom list of traits to track, you identified Impulsive as a significant trait. As you are tracking your traits, you begin to associate the term Impulsive with the behavior of clicking the “Buy Now” button in your online shopping app. After performing the tracking exercise for a few weeks (potentially sooner), you begin to experience self-interruption when you are about to hit any “Buy Now” button. Right as you are about to hit that button, you think of the word Impulsive, or ask yourself “Is this impulsive?”
Even if you hit the Buy Now button this time, the way you think about your behavior has fundamentally changed already! Instead of letting autopilot run, and just doing what you have always done…. now, you are actually thinking about the behavior, which provides opportunity to change the behavior before you do it! As you continue tracking that trait, you’ll associate other behaviors related to spending money with the word Impulsive.
Where you may have started considered impulsiveness in connection with only a less than ideal shopping habit, you will further generalize the Self-interruption by noticing how being impulsive impacts other areas of their life as well. Potentially, in your intimate relationships, or by breaking promises to co-workers and family members, or by how you drive, or just general avoidance of responsibilities…..
Finally, you’ll come to see the trait as harmful to your reaching your goals. At that point, changing behaviors becomes not only easier, but preferable!
Now imagine doing this happening for an entire set of interrelated traits that have been customized for you! And get going with TraitTrack!