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Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean you’ll act on it.

We act on what we care about, not just what we know.

Change happens when we align actions with who we want to be.

Have you ever thought through a decision that you knew was right, but you couldn’t get yourself to carry it out? Think about your resolutions or big decisions you tried to make, both personal and professional: Eat healthier. Exercise more. Be more present with friends and family. Make the career move that aligns with your values. The logic was clear. The reasons were sound. What happened?

The decision itself may have inspired you for a short time, though it also may have caused a lump of apprehension in your throat as well. You may have been determined to change your ways, and yet, you didn’t follow through. You ended up staying on the couch when you planned to go for a run. You delayed the difficult conversation, thinking the time wasn’t right. You continued in routines that didn’t serve you, because you didn’t see how to make the desired change fit into your life.

When making decisions that force us to change our habits, we often assume that once we know what the right thing to do is, we’ll do it. We start our self-reflection with, “What should I do?” We seldom get to the question, “How will I carry this out?”

“How” questions in this case are twofold: First is the question of........

© Psychology Today