Member-only story
Anchors Aweigh!
A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Waistline
When you hear the word “anchor”, what do you think of? Are you thinking about the anchor of a boat? The saying “anchors aweigh” is what’s said when a boat is preparing for a voyage. But today, we’re preparing for a different voyage — a voyage into the psychology behind sticking with a goal. Given my work as a health coach, I think of this mostly regarding goals; you could certainly read this thinking about any goal you have!
In the realm of psychology and human behavior, anchoring is another tool in our tool belts that helps us build habits and stick to the commitments we make to ourselves. For our purposes, think of the anchor as a reference point. You already have anchors in your life, you simply might not realize it. You know that song you hear that brings you back to a certain time in high school or college — those songs that transport you back to another place or time? Maybe instead of a song, it’s a certain photo or smell that takes you back? These are all examples of anchors.
In psychology speak, this would be called a “trigger” or a “stimulus” — but I’d rather refer to it as a reference point. The clear connection between the stimulus (object) and the emotional state that follows, makes the object an anchor.
How does this work with our health? We can use our anchors to remind us…
