The 6% Club E-Book

Michelle Rozen

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 310

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Learn the steps to build better habits and join the ranks of changemakers and goal achievers everywhere

In The 6% Club, The Change Doctor Michelle Rozen, PhD, teaches audiences and readers how to create and actually stick to new positive habits, unlocking the secret formula to the life, success, and happiness they've always dreamed of. The book was born from a recent study where Dr. Rozen surveyed 1,000 people who pledged to make a change in their lives, and, shockingly, only 6% had stuck to the change just a month later.

Dr. Rozen's powerful, uplifting, and actionable methods have been tested on countless event attendees from all types of background for over a decade. In this book, readers will learn how to:

• Work out more, eat healthier, save more money, do better in business, or attain any other personal or professional goal
• Make changes solo, or with another individual like a friend or partner
• Stop making excuses, giving up, or putting it off—effortlessly

Based on science and written by one of the most sought-after motivational speakers on leadership and change, The 6% Club earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of all individuals looking to make lasting changes in their personal and professional lives.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction: What I've Decided to Find Out and How It Will Change Your Life

PART I: Your Secret Power

1 The Research That Made My Jaw Drop

1. You've Pledged to Make a Change. Now What?

2. What I've Decided to Research and Why It Matters to You

3. The Research Findings and Why My Jaw Dropped

4. Your Secret Power

5. The 6% Club Will Change Your Life

2 What 94% of People Don't Know

1. Why Is There So Much Frustration and Pain?

2. Making Big Promises (and Really Meaning It)

3. The 20% Energy Glass Ceiling

4. The Beaten Paths in Your Brain

5. The Deal You Should Never Sign with Your Brain

6. The Comfort of the Autopilot

7. The Secret That Nobody Told You

8. Why Your Comfort Zone Is Your Honey Trap

Notes

3 Enough with Feeling Stuck and Frustrated!

1. The Day That Turned My Life Around

2. Your Most Powerful Mindset

3. Stop Waiting for the Right Time

4. Your Inner Voice Matters

5. How to Beat Self-Doubt

6. How to Stop Being a Pushover

7. How to Say No Without Feeling Bad About It

8. The Mindset of Taking Charge

Note

PART II: The Secret of Making a Change

4 How to Actually Set a Goal

1. The Power of the Pause

2. The Most Common Mistake in Goal Setting

3. This Is How You Set a Goal

4. The Secret Sauce of Making a Real, Lasting Change

5. Goal Setting Dos and Don'ts

6. Knowing How to Set Goals Empowers You

7. The Number One Question to Ask Yourself Every Day

5 The 0–10 Rule

1. What the 0–10 Rule Is and How I Developed It

2. The 0–10 Rule Is a Game-Changer

3. Focusing on What Matters the Most

4. Combating Your Decision Fatigue

5. Your X, and Your Peace of Mind

6. 30 Minutes of Magic

7. Using the 0–10 Rule in Your Business and Career

8. How the 0–10 Rule Gets You in the 6% Club

6 The Law of Specification

1. Why Your Brain Loves the Fog

2. The Science Behind the Law of Specification

3. The Importance of Setting a Deadline

4. The Law of Specification: Common Mistakes to Avoid

5. The Law of Specification: Real-Life Examples

6. Riding the Bikes of Change

PART III: Your Life Is About to Change

7 The 6% Club Hacks and Tips

1. The 20-Minute Rule

2. The Mirroring Rule

3. The $100 Bill Effect

4. The Bleeding Man Analogy

5. The Domino Effect

8 Welcome to the 6% Club!

1. Your First Day in the 6% Club

2. The Next 30 Days

3. Your 50 Questions About Making a Real Change Answered!

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction

Begin Reading

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Index

End User License Agreement

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MICHELLE ROZEN, PhD

THE 6% CLUB

UNLOCK THE SECRET TO ACHIEVING ANY GOAL AND THRIVING IN BUSINESS AND LIFE

Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is Available:

Names: Rozen, Michelle, author.

Title: The 6% club : unlock the secret to achieving any goal and thriving in business and life / Michelle Rozen, PhD.

Other titles: Six percent club

Description: Hoboken, New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., [2024] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2024000552 (print) | LCCN 2024000553 (ebook) | ISBN 9781394254323 (hardback) | ISBN 9781394254347 (adobe pdf) | ISBN 9781394254330 (epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Goal (Psychology) | Achievement motivation. | Success. | Success in business.

Classification: LCC BF505.G6 R69 2024 (print) | LCC BF505.G6 (ebook) | DDC 650.1—dc23/eng/20240202

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024000552

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2024000553)

Cover Design: The Change Doctor Intl. Inc.

To Adam, who has been holding my hand for 28 years.

IntroductionWhat I've Decided to Find Out and How It Will Change Your Life

I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING, writing, and speaking about change to audiences around the world for over a decade. I got my nickname, “The Change Doctor,” at an event in Texas several years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. My whole career, I've been fascinated with a few simple questions. What makes people tick? What makes them do the things they do, and on the flip side, what makes them not do the things that they don't do?

In January 2023, I began a research project, and its results made my jaw drop. The research focused on people who make New Year's resolutions and pledge to make all kinds of changes in their lives for the upcoming year. You know that time of the year when you swear up and down that you'll get healthier, do better with money, be more present, be more patient with your kids, do that thing that you've been talking about for the longest time? I wanted to dive deeper into that. I wanted to find out what happens with all of those people as far as the goals that they set for themselves within a span of six months, from January through June.

The results of the research, which I talk about in Chapter 1, shook me to the core and made me write this book. I wrote it for you. I wanted you to be aware. I wanted you to have the tools to get to where you want to go in business and in life.

So I took all the secrets that I have been teaching the world's top leaders in terms of how to actually make a change in business and life, and rather than just talk about it, actually make it happen and then make it stick. Over the years, I have seen businesses and lives transformed using these tools. I have made them available for you, too.

Here, in this book, I share with you everything that I know, everything that I have been teaching the world's most successful people. This is your manual for success. Read it, and then read it again.

Knowing how to change things in your life to get what you want to see happening is a total game-changer. Your life is about to change in the most amazing ways. You are not alone on this journey. This book is here to hold your hand through it. I am here to hold your hand through it.

Are you ready to start?

I am excited for you!

Yours,

PART IYour Secret Power

Most people make the same choices over and over again without even realizing it.It’s time to do something different.

1The Research That Made My Jaw Drop

DECIDING TO MAKE a change. Fresh beginnings. Think about all those times in your life when just saying that gave you a sense of excitement. You got all excited about going to the gym every day, or being more patient, or saving more money, or being more focused and intentional in your business or career. You will finish this degree, you will write this book, and you will start prioritizing yourself and setting boundaries for people.

1. You've Pledged to Make a Change. Now What?

So many people swear time and time again that they are going to do “that thing” in their lives. They are going to go to the gym every day, eat healthy, save money, make more money, lose weight, be more present, be a better parent, be more patient. The list goes on and on. You name it, someone has sworn to do it. I bet you did, too.

I've been aware for the longest time that most of the people who say they'll do all of those things drop what they've pledged to do pretty quickly. People make big promises to themselves, feel like they are starting this new and exciting change, and yet a few months later they're drinking again, or not exercising, or slipping back into their old way of doing things.

I've been a motivational speaker for over a decade. I speak to tens of thousands of people every year, and every time after a keynote or a speech, people tell me, “Oh for the longest time I've been wanting to do this thing.” “I have a kid I haven't spoken to for 10 years since my divorce.” “I have an eating disorder that I haven't told anyone about.” “I have a degree I haven't finished.” I can see the pain in people's eyes; I can feel how much frustration these things have caused; I can hear the sincerity in their voices when they tell me enough is enough. But the change they talk about rarely happens.

I'm sure this has also happened to you. There is this thing you wanted to do, this change you wanted to make, but then life got in the way and it never happened. I know how exasperating it can be.

Life is short, and the same way that good changes tend to build on one another and have a tremendous effect once they all accumulate, changes that are not made also accumulate and cause your life to feel not only stagnant but also discouraging.

In nature, whatever doesn't grow crumbles and dies. We are here on this planet to grow, to evolve as people, to master the art of getting better in everything we do over time. Life becomes better when you are more aware, more mindful, more capable, and achieve whatever goals you set for yourself. You achieve what you want when you take control of your life: how you act, what you choose, how you live.

Goals. That's a word everyone tosses around but very few people properly understand. Can we talk about that for a moment? Did you ever think about how the concept of setting goals is something that you never actually learn as part of the journey of education? You learn history, math, science. But unless they are lucky enough to have someone teach them, people never learn the most important things. Did you ever learn in any of your classes how to set goals, how to actually follow through, how to be mindful, how to handle relationships with other people, how to handle your relationship with yourself, and how to change what you don't like?

I bet not.

Imagine if in high school, you actually took a class on how to set goals, how to be intentional in your actions, and how to communicate with the different types of people in your life? How much of an impact would that have?

You see, it's not enough to write down a goal. You have to understand how to properly set them. A few years ago my youngest daughter, who was then in fifth grade, came home and showed me that the teacher had them write down their goals for the year. Her paper said:

I'll be a better student.

I won't forget my homework.

I'll talk less in class.

I looked at her sheet and said to myself, “None of this is going to happen. This is not how you do it.”

Look at that list again. How do you even quantify the first item, for example, so you know if it's been achieved? What would make her a “better student”? Would she be a better student if she focused more, studied longer, paid more attention in class, listened more in class, participated more, got better grades, did independent research on the topics? There's no concrete idea there of what it was my daughter was striving for.

I emailed the teacher and said, “I'd like to come and teach the kids how to set goals.”

“That's okay,” the teacher said. “The kids have already set their goals for the year.”

Sadly, neither the teacher nor the kids knew what they didn't know. I thought of all those kids in that class and all those “goals” that weren't going to be achieved. It just showed me once again that missed goals, and that stinging frustration of feeling stuck or not getting what you want to see happening in your life as far as your career, health, relationships, finances, business—or whatever else it is that you want for yourself—is not something to accept and learn to live with. It is something to change.

2. What I've Decided to Research and Why It Matters to You

I remember the day I decided to conduct the research whose results led me to write this book that you are holding right now. There was a long line of people waiting to get their books signed. When it was her turn, a woman looked at me and said, “I'm Helen. And for 15 years I haven't worked out. I listened to what you said and I just ordered a treadmill from the audience. I have a plan. I know what to do, and I am going to stop being mad at myself for dropping the ball on making my health a priority.”

I asked her to send me pics and keep me posted. For over a year every now and then she would message me a picture of herself on the treadmill, smiling at me. I could see how proud and healthy she looked.

On the same day, a gentleman told me that he had two daughters who have been estranged from him for the past 10 years and that he realized he needed to make a change, that he needed to let them say what they wanted to say and handle it no matter what, and he couldn't believe he hadn't done that earlier. He said he had been talking about wanting to do it for the past 10 years and he had just messaged them during the break and made a plan to meet them on Saturday to talk things out.

On the flight back home I thought to myself, What is it? What is it that makes people drop the ball on what they want for themselves time and time again?

There is so much pain in the world around things that people want to see happening in their lives on which they just seem to keep dropping the ball. They range from small things like working out and eating more vegetables to big things like fixing broken relationships, making a career change, starting or scaling a business, or getting the education they want.

I had to figure out if the problem was as big as I thought, and what was actually going on. After all, if I could figure that out, then I could help people actually follow through and achieve those things they want for themselves in all aspects of their lives: career, business, relationships, health, fitness, money, you name it. I had to figure it out.

3. The Research Findings and Why My Jaw Dropped

I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. I surveyed 1,000 people between the ages of 20 and 60 who all pledged to make a change in their lives. The categories were health, fitness, money, career or business, and relationships. I surveyed them from January to June because I wanted to find out what happens to all of the things they say they will do. Are they actually going to follow through?

You know that feeling in January when you get so excited for the upcoming year and promise yourself to make it your best year ever? We've all been there. But what happens after?

When June came and I was done analyzing the results, my jaw dropped. Out of 1,000 surveyed, 94% of people dropped the ball on whatever they had pledged to do by the end of February.

That means that 94% of people want to change certain things in their life, decide to change certain things in their life, and get excited about the promise that it holds, but then have no idea what to do with it later. This leads to them continuing to suffer with things they are unhappy about in their lives. It can also cause feelings of frustration, failure, guilt, anxiety, despair, hopelessness, and depression. These negative feelings amount to an epidemic in this country and around the world.

In January 2023, 22% of American adults experienced depression symptoms.

40 million Americans experience anxiety every year.

322 million people around the world live with depression.

Studies consistently show that when people feel hopeless, they get depressed. And when they are depressed, they feel even more hopeless. It's a vicious cycle that just keeps repeating.

Think back to the last time you decided to make a change, start a new habit, or try a new way of doing things. Did you feel hopeful that you could do it, optimistic and hyped up? Did you feel depleted and pessimistic that you could actually pull through? Does that even matter? Is that the secret sauce—being hopeful and optimistic that you can actually do it?

I'd like to talk to you about hope, because this topic is critical to what we are talking about. Have you ever thought about what hope really is, and what role it plays in your life? Hope is essentially an optimistic belief that things will turn out for the best. It gives you a sense of empowerment and determination that drives you to figure things out, push through challenges, and reach your goals.

Hope is a catalyst for change. Extensive research over the past decade shows that people who are hopeful are more likely to reach their goals, choose healthier lifestyle habits, have a strong sense of purpose, and feel happier about their lives overall. Hope is the catalyst, the wind in your sales, but it's not the secret sauce. So what is the secret sauce?

When I saw the research data and realized that only 6% of people reach their goals, my mind was made up. For over a decade, I've been sharing with the world's top leaders the secret for making changes that stick. For over a decade I've been seeing lives changed, businesses and careers transformed. “It's not fair for only a small group of people to know how to do this,” I thought to myself. You see, I knew what that secret was. And I knew that it was so simple and easy to execute. I also knew that I had to share it.

For over a decade I have been searching for every possible way to help people make a lasting change in their lives. Over the course of my journey in the world of motivation and peak performance, I have met hundreds of thousands of people, and heard tens of thousands of stories from people who felt hopeless, people who needed a change.

I knew the theories. I knew the research. I just needed a tool that would be simple, powerful, and easy to apply, and I was on the hunt for it. I knew that it would give people hope, and I knew that people needed it.

Every time I found another piece of information, I developed another tool and used it not only with the people I was speaking to but also with the leaders I was working with. I saw them using it and got to hear from them firsthand about the incredible change that it made. I also used these tools in my own life. Just like everyone else, I want to make my life better, too.

Realizing that only 6% of people know how to make a lasting change made my mission more urgent. I knew that I needed to share the secrets, and fast.

4. Your Secret Power

Do you know that you hold an incredible secret power within you? This power is your ability to take control of your life and make the changes you need. It's your capacity to shape your career, relationships, health, business, and so much more. This hidden strength is all about you and your ability to hold yourself accountable, steering your life in the direction you desire.

Take Control of Your Career

Your career is a significant part of your life. Your secret power can be unleashed to make your work life better. It's not about relying on luck; it's about making choices. You can decide what career path to follow, which job to pursue, and how to achieve your career goals. Take control of your career by setting clear objectives, improving your skills, and seeking opportunities to advance.

Enhance Your Relationships

Your secret power also influences your relationships. Whether it's with your family, friends, or a romantic partner, you have the power to create meaningful connections. By communicating effectively, being a good listener, and showing empathy, you can improve your relationships. Recognize that you can choose the people who add positivity to your life and let go of those who bring negativity.

Boost Your Health

Your well-being is a crucial aspect of your life. You can harness your secret power to take charge of your health. This means making healthy choices, like eating nutritious foods and staying active. Regular checkups with your healthcare provider can help you maintain good health. Your secret power is in your hands, literally, by making the choices that support your well-being.

Thrive in Business

If you're an entrepreneur or involved in business, your secret power is your entrepreneurial spirit. It's your drive to succeed, innovate, and adapt. Take control of your business by setting clear strategies, making informed decisions, and learning from your experiences. Your power allows you to shape the future of your business.

Your Secret Power Will Impact Every Aspect of Your Life

Your secret power isn't limited to just a few areas of life. You can apply it to various aspects, such as personal growth, hobbies, and more. By identifying what's not working for you and making necessary changes, you can create a life that aligns with your values and desires.

Hold Yourself Accountable

A crucial aspect of your secret power is accountability. You're responsible for your choices and actions. You can't control external events, but you can control how you respond to them. Taking ownership of your decisions and their consequences empowers you to shape your life in a way that's fulfilling and meaningful.

From Thoughts Into Action!

Your secret power doesn't reside in mere thoughts; it's also in your actions. You have the ability to take what you envision for your life and turn it into a reality. This power is like a tool in your toolbox—it's there to be used when needed.

Expect Challenges—You Can Overcome Them

There will be challenges and obstacles along the way, but remember that your secret power is your resilience. It's your ability to adapt, learn, and grow. Challenges are opportunities for you to tap into your hidden strength, find new solutions, and persevere.

Get the People Around You to Support You

Using your secret power doesn't mean you have to do everything on your own. Seeking support from others—whether through friends, family, mentors, or professionals—can be incredibly beneficial. It's a sign of strength, not weakness, to ask for help when you need it.

Believe in Yourself!

The key to unlocking your secret power is to believe in yourself. Recognize that you have the ability to influence your life positively. Your secret power is like a compass, guiding you toward the life you want to live.

Your secret power lies in your hands. You have the ability to take control of your life, shape your career, build meaningful relationships, enhance your health, succeed in business, and influence various aspects of your life. Your accountability and resilience are the cornerstones of your power. It's not a power bestowed upon you; it's a power that's within you, waiting to be tapped into. Remember that your secret power is real, and it's yours to use, nurture, and thrive with.

5. The 6% Club Will Change Your Life

Think back to the last time you stood in a lobby, waiting for the elevator. At the corner of your eye, you see someone arrive, hit the elevator button, and then almost instinctively hit it again and again, and then with increased intensity and frustration, even though they know that it won't bring the elevator any faster.

And sometimes it was you. You stood there by the elevator button, hitting it impatiently, trying to prod the elevator to come faster with urgency and frustration. Think about it.

I travel all over the world, and no matter what state or country I'm in, what conference center or hotel lobby, who the people are, or what their culture or language is, I see this phenomenon all over the world. Elevator buttons are being pushed over and over again with increased intensity and frustration just to get the same result: it won't bring the elevator any faster.

We all know that hitting that button over and over again will not lead to a different result; it won't make the elevator arrive any faster. That repeating visual of people around the world doing something that doesn't make any sense made me think. Why does your mind cause you to do things that don't make any sense? Everyone knows that action will not bring the elevator any faster. And yet almost everyone does it, day in and day out, without even thinking. Why?

When I started noticing that, I started asking myself some questions. Mainly I asked myself where in my life do I stand there by the elevator button of my business and life, hitting that button over and over again, repeating the same behaviors, the same choices, without even realizing it, just to get the same result?

There is a tremendous amount of pain and frustration in the world and I know that there are things that you want to change. I know that you have struggled with that many times. I know that some days you are thinking, why do other people have it easier than me? Maybe it's some kind of karma? Maybe I'm not lucky?

You are very lucky, believe me; it's just that you have been standing there by the elevator button of your career and life for so many years, hitting that button over and over again without even realizing, just to get the same result. No one has let you in on the secret.

This is why I wrote this book for you. It's time for you to find out why this happens, how to change it, and how to make sure this never happens to you again. What is it that only 6% of people do differently that gets them to the career, the relationships, the health, the fitness, the business, the finances, and everything else that they want for themselves?

It's time to get away from mindlessly hitting that elevator button over and over again in your career and your life. Welcome to the 6% Club! Something mindful, intentional, and different is going to happen. Your life is about to change.

It will never be the right time.Take the first step.

2What 94% of People Don't Know

THE VAST MAJORITY of people never get what they say they really want. This is a sad, hard truth. It's also something that's bothered me for quite a while. I asked myself: Why do so many people feel stuck and frustrated? Why do so many people feel like things are working out for other people, but somehow not for them?

Another problem that exists is that a whole lot of people can't articulate what it is that they really want. They might have some notion of wanting “better” or “more,” but they've never clearly defined what that is for themselves. It's hard to achieve anything when the end goal is so undefined.

What shocked me in my research was how large this group of people is, and how quickly they drop their goals. That's a lot of people living lives that are less than they could and should be. The problem is, there's something very important that all those people don't know.

1. Why Is There So Much Frustration and Pain?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “What matters the most to me right now?” The question seems simple but it's actually not. This is the most important question to ask yourself over and over again, but sadly most people never stop to ask it. There's not necessarily just one answer either. Just as there are different areas of your life, so there can be different wants and different things that matter immensely. These can be related to physical well-being, career, finances, personal fulfillment, relationships, and other areas.

If you don't pause to define to yourself what you really want, what matters to you the most for your future, then you need to take the first and most important step in starting a process of change. Pause. Think. Stop the rat race and ask yourself this one very important question: What do I really want? You don't need to figure out what you want in every area of your life all at once. You do, however, need to define at least one want, one desire, something you want to change in your life in order to improve it. That's the first step. Once you have defined this, then you can start navigating the ship of your life better.

Stop to imagine for a moment that your life is like a big ship. Pick a ship that speaks to you. Maybe it's a battleship, a yacht, a sailboat, a cruise ship, a fishing boat, a speed boat, or an old-fashioned pirate ship. It's your life, your ship, so go on and get a good mental image of what it is. Got it? Great!

As soon as your life starts, your ship is already there on the ocean. It's sailing along for the first few years of your life with only those who raised you to give it any guidance, to help set a direction. Your parents or caregivers might have had a firm hold of the wheel or might have let storms shake it and move it in different directions.

Maybe you were told since you were a kid what you were expected to do with your life. Your parents might have pushed you to be a professional like a doctor or a lawyer. Or they might have pushed you to follow in their footsteps or even take over the family business. They might have insisted that you go to college or instead pushed you toward learning a trade. Your caregivers and teachers might have encouraged you and told you that you could succeed, or they might have tried to limit your expectations and held you back. In some families, there's the idea that higher education just isn't an option or that you shouldn't reach too high for fear of failure and disappointment.

Here's the bottom line. None of that matters.

It doesn't matter what parents, grandparents, foster parents, teachers, or other authority figures in your life told you, planned for you, or pushed you toward. The only thing that matters is what you want. It's not their life. It's yours. It's your ship and as soon as you are an adult, it's your time to take charge of it.

There is so much pain and frustration in the world because too many people are letting other people or random life events dictate the direction their life goes. If it's not a person pushing them in a certain direction then they blame the economy or circumstances or the fact that no one is hiring or promoting right now. Allowing yourself to be shuffled around, manipulated, and controlled by external factors is not the way to achieve happiness and success. Only by taking control of your own life can you get what you want.