Breaking free from the grip of old habits

Old habits die hard, especially at the executive level. Breaking free requires self-awareness, deliberate practice, and the courage to be uncomfortable during the transition.

The leadership habits that built your reputation yesterday may now be quietly sabotaging your credibility, results, and team trust—yet most executives cling to them out of comfort, not strategy.

Breaking free from old habits, whether they be good or bad, can be a daunting task. Over time, these habits become ingrained in us, and we start to identify them as an integral part of who we are. We even proclaim to ourselves and others, "This is just who I am!" - a not so subtle way of saying, "Deal with it, I'm not changing!"

Key takeaways

• Leaders, you owe it to yourself to regularly audit your routines and ask which habits are genuinely serving your current goals, rather than simply continuing what once worked in a different context.
• Your past successes may have come not because of certain ingrained behaviors, but in spite of them—don’t let yesterday’s winning formula become today’s roadblock to growth.
• If you’re serious about sustained impact, be willing to replace outdated habits with new approaches, and don’t hesitate to leverage an executive coach to help you break through your own inertia.

Consider that the habits that once served us well may have outlived their usefulness. As we age, inertia sets in, and we continue with familiar routines, unaware that some of these habits are now hindering rather than helping us.

The real revelation lies in recognizing that our success might be in spite of, not because of, some of our old habits. It's a paradox - habits that initially contribute to success can, over time, become obstacles.

An old habit of me was to rely on my improvisation talent and creativity. This used to work fine, and it helped me to launch three startups. However, as these businesses began to grow, too much improvisation leads to chaotic situations, not enough structure and it’s making people insecure. Nowadays, I plan more, and I organize my work much better for myself and our teams. This leads more predictability and better results.

Deep down, I’m the same person. My character hasn’t changed. It’s just that my old habit was no longer effective. I needed to change to continue to make impact. And this is the paradox of success. I used coaching and changed some of my habits that no longer helped me.

Acknowledging and accepting this paradox is the first step toward personal and professional growth. Engaging with an executive coach can provide valuable insights and assistance in breaking through some of these barriers. Identifying which ones still work for you (and you want to keep), and which ones you prioritize to change.

Contemplate the opportunities for progress that open when we release ourselves from the shackles of outdated habits, both in our personal lives and professional endeavors. While change can be challenging, our habits are one aspect of ourselves that can be transformed, especially if we're willing to take that crucial step.

I feel fortunate to have witnessed this transformative process in numerous situations over the past decades.

'Enlightenment is when a wave realizes its the ocean.'

Thich Nhat Hanh

Wishing you inspiration on your journey,

Over to you.