According to Mirriam-Webster, a habit is:
a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior.
Good Habits vs. Bad Habits vs. New Habits
I like to think about habits as something a person does regularly without thinking about it. For example, brushing your teeth. Another habit many people have is biting their nails.
There are good habits and bad habits. But whether you’re trying to start a good habit or change a bad habit, it’s probably equally hard.
I don’t have to tell you — habits are tough to change. My question is — can you really create new habits, and if so, how?
Fundraising is All About Good Habits
Fundraising is all about good habits. Calling donors daily, is a great fundraising habit for example. Yet so few fundraisers have the good habits they need to be successful. I would guess that less than 20 percent of fundraisers call make phone calls to donors every day.
The worst fundraising habit, if you want to call it that, is a lack of asking for major gifts. Busy development directors default to easier and less intimidating tasks of planning events, writing grants, and sending direct mail, as priorities over asking for major gifts.
Asking for Major Gifts: A Winning Habit
Here’s a quick question to help you understand whether you really raise major gifts.
How many times in the last twelve months did you ask one individual (or couple) verbally, for a specific dollar amount?
This could have been over video chat or in-person, but the key is that you were not at a group event, and that you requested a specific dollar amount.
If you answered less than ten times, you’re not really raising major gifts. If you solicited ten or more gifts from individuals, for a specific amount, you’re doing an excellent job!
My Experience: Changing Habits is HARD.
I can only think of two habits I’ve changed in my adult lifetime.
- Writing a weekly blog post
- Exercising several times per week
Habits I have not been able to change, but I would like to (they have been goals for more than 20 years) include,
- Learning to play the piano (practicing)
- Stop eating sugar
My Most Successful Habits
Let’s look at the habits I’ve been successful at changing.
Writing a weekly blog post — Truthfully, the only reason I’ve been successful at writing my blog for over a decade is because I pay someone to make me do it. Yes, that’s right, I pay someone to remind me to write a weekly post (they also help coach me about writing strong posts, and they format the post as well).
The secret sauce of my success is an accountability partner and coach. I doubt I would’ve been able to do it on my own. (Plus, is it really a habit if I’m paying someone to keep me accountable? I think there’s a lesson about delegating in there somewhere.)
Exercising several times per week — This year, I’ve started exercising for the first time. Since it’s lasted about six months, I hope it’s a habit I keep. It took a ton of internal and external pressure to form this new habit:
- I announced to my colleagues that I would run a 5k at our annual in-person retreat. The potential threat of public humiliation weighed heavily as I started training and normally would have quit.
- Two colleagues served as accountability partners and checked in with me regularly to make sure I was on track and provided motivation and support.
- The Nike Running app gave me a plan I could follow and tracked my progress. I could also share my success with others.
I was tempted to quit many times. And I don’t know if it will last forever, but now several friends are also cheering me on through my exercising journey.
It Is Possible to Create New Habits
I’m not saying creating new habits is easy, but it is possible. And now I’m going to stop writing this post, lace up my sneaks, and head outside for a run.
What new habit will you work to create? Let me know in the comments.
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