By Mike King, ACE Certified

A few years ago, I was introduced to a behavior change model called Stages of Change. I’ve learned that using it can be an incredibly useful tool as we try to alter our behaviors.

The concepts of Stages of Change (SCM) were first laid out by James Procheaska and Carlo DiClemente as they studied cigarette smokers trying to quit. They noticed that we all go through a similar process as we attempt to change behaviors, and that process involves various stages. If we examine our own change efforts and place ourselves in a stage of change we can greatly increase our likelihood of success.

We all try to make changes in our lives. Losing weight, starting and then maintaining a walking and exercise plan, reducing or stopping alcohol or caffeine use, waking up a half and hour earlier, eating better, spending more quality time with family and friends, and reducing stress are just a few examples of common behavior change desires.

Have you ever tried to change a behavior and failed? Have you ever tried to change something in your life and wondered if you are ever going to finally make it happen? The answers to those questions may be right here.

The SCM might seem confusing at first. It was to me. I hope that I can explain these concepts understandably enough so your interest is piqued and you will try this tool.

Oftentimes taking a closer look at our behaviors can be a daunting task, sometimes scary. I offer a few tips for you to remember along the way: Change is a process, not an event. Making mistakes and having failures is expected. It’s okay to not be perfect! Remember that these are your goals and you can change them if you want to. If it gets too hard you can stop trying to change or you can ask for help. As you will discover, getting to the stage where you can ask for help is a sign you are getting close to changing behavior for good!

There’s one more idea I’d like to touch on before getting to the SCM. It is important that you remember that you are each distinct, and how you perceive the world is shaped by your unique lifetime of events. This means that you will need your own set of tools, your own plan to succeed, and what may work great for another might not be enough or too much for you. Just like a carpenter needs a set of plans and a hammer you too need your own set of tools. A magazine, an idea, a diet plan, a friend are examples. There is an infinite world of tools out there for you to use and discover. My challenge to you is to find the tools that will lead to your success!

The SCM has six steps, or stages (sometimes distinct, sometimes muddled together): pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation and determination, action, maintenance and relapse.

Stage 1
Pre-contemplation — ”I’m fine just the way I am. Why change?”

In this stage people are not thinking seriously about changing and are not interested in any kind of help and will defend their current behaviors. “I don’t have a problem” or “There’s nothing I want to change in my life” are statements you’d hear someone make in this stage. This stage might be denial, as in alcohol or drug addiction, but it could also be that the person hasn’t come across the information that would lead to a decision to change. It’s important to remember that for the most part, change is voluntary.

Stage 2
Contemplation — ”Ya know, self, I could lose a few pounds and I did breathe kinda heavy going up those stairs and my mom’s doctor told her she has a family history of diabetes… which means I do too. I see those people walking up to Mt. Tabor and I’ve wanted to make some more friends for awhile now…”

For various reasons we begin to believe that behaviors that were okay with us yesterday aren’t going to be okay anymore, and we become aware of the negative consequences of those old behavior(s). People in this stage are weighing the pros and cons of changing and trying to decide if the long-term benefits are worth the short-term costs. My belief is that this is the stage wecan really honor. Although this stage might only last a few weeks or months for many, some will spend years living among the two. These can be times filled with guilt, shame, hopelessness, and desperation. Getting to a place where you can begin to take a good look at your behaviors can be a huge journey. Congratulations if that’s where you are now, for you are in the process of change!

Stage 3
Preparation and Determination — ”Oh yeah, I did tell myself I wanted to exercise more. Hey look, there’s a magazine called Walk About, I wonder if there is something in there that might help. I know I can do this, I can do lots of things.

Just like it sounds, this is when you begin preparing for change. Maybe you start picking up magazines like Walk About for information or make phone calls, attend meetings or seminars. You are in the process of gathering tools. Your self-talk and statements to others are becoming more definite about your need to change. When we skip this stage we usually fail (this is the stage most often skipped when making last-minute New Year’s resolutions).

Stage 4
Action — ”Hi Beth! I remember you saying a month ago or so you are meeting some folks around town and doing some walking. Yeah? Do you think I could join you? Okay, see you in an hour. “

You have information and you’re ready to change. Sometimes this stage lasts six months and sometimes this stage lasts five minutes. As I stated earlier, you learn and respond differently than others, so what may take your best friend five minutes to change may take you four months. Don’t find shame in this, but begin to understand how the process works for you. Some call this stage willpower, but I believe it’s more about the tools you have gathered along the way and that willpower is highly over-rated, and emotionally charged.

Stage 5
Maintenance — ”Has it really been six months? I remember when I couldn’t hike up here without having to stop once or twice. I don’t even think too much anymore about not meeting you for our walk. My doctor told me I’m doing great and my blood pressure is down to excellent. I can’t hardly remember what I used to do before this, I’m really having fun and it’s an important part of my life now. Thanks for helping me Beth!”

Maintenance is just that. You are maintaining the new behavior. You’re finding ways to avoid temptation by using the tools you have acquired and this new stage is becoming the status quo. You are probably more open to help at this stage and constantly reevaluating and redefining your tools and your plan. It keeps getting easier to maintain the new behaviors. It’s interesting to note too that you might traverse through all or several of the SCM stages hourly, daily, or weekly in this stage. The key is how you are doing at maintaining behavior. When you find that maintaining the new behavior is the status quo, you may need no, if any, tools to stay the course. You have reached a point of permanent exit or transcendence. Relapse is still possible but your new behavior is firmly in place.

Stage 6
Relapse — ”Oh my gosh, it’s already Friday and I’m going out to dinner and we’ll have dessert and I want to sleep-in tomorrow, it’s supposed to rain…”

The other stage of SCM is the relapse stage. I don’t say the next stage because relapse can occur at any of the stages. Relapse is rampant between pre-contemplation and contemplation even though we haven’t yet to made the decision to change. We often experience it at the other stages too. Relapse doesn’t have to be a part of your efforts but it likely will be.
Change is a process, not an event. When relapse happens don’t beat yourself up. Get back up, dust yourself off, and get back to the task of change. Find another tool, another reason to make it work. Is relapse failure? I don’t think so and I believe we are often too hard on ourselves. To me, the glass is half full with regard to relapse. It means you are still trying, you are still in the game.

Remember that relapse is a stage, not a permanent state. Learn from your experience and turn that knowledge into a tool for your next stage.

Have fun and good luck!