Face to face meetings with individuals is the most effective means of communication and relationship building. But face to face meetings demand more of your time. When the telephone came along it made it easier for individuals to communicate with each other. Travel time to get to the other person was no longer a factor. As a result, calling those you wanted to maintain a relationship with became easier. Then email came along. Emails were an even more convenient way to communicate with others because they allowed us to shoot out a few short sentences, back and forth, in order to maintain or grow the relationship. Then instant messaging became the new rage, making communication even more convenient. Instant messaging soon evolved into Facebook and Twitter, which was faster than email. Once Facebook, Twitter and other similar communication platforms were integrated into smart phones, soon everyone was communicating via something that came to be known as social media. The Convenience Principle is the reason we have phones, cell phones, email, social media, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Malls and offices in our homes.
The power of convenience makes it possible to do things we might not otherwise do. For example, Facebooking someone a happy birthday message instead of blocking off an hour or more to meet them for lunch or instead of blocking off 10 minutes to talk to them on the phone, makes saying happy birthday (a Rich Habit, by the way) easy. We all like to take the easiest route.
This same principle can be applied to habits. When we make a new habit easy to do, we’ll do it. When it’s hard, we won’t. If you want to read more, make sure whatever it is you want to read is easily accessible. If you want to eat healthier food, put your apple on the kitchen table and the potato chips in the garage. If you want to jog, put your sneakers and workout clothes on the floor by your bed. Make your new habit so easy and convenient that your brain doesn’t have to overcome any obstacles to engage in the habit. Make success habits so convenient you will want to engage in them every day.
About Thomas C. Corley
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