Setting Goals, Benjamin Franklin and NBC
If you have been following me for any length of time, you will know that my Powerdrive to Success method emphasizes doing something every day toward achieving your goals. Being consistent and developing daily goal setting habits will improve your success of achieving your dreams.
Benjamin Franklin had a strategy for developing new habits over the course of a year. Franklin outlined 13 virtues that he desired and wanted to form each one into a habit. He committed to one habit a week and documented his progress. The following week, he would work on the next habit, and so on. By the end of 13 weeks, he had accomplished all 13 virtues by forming each one into a habit; then, he would start over with number one. Even though studies show that it takes 21 to 28 days to form a habit, this worked for him because he was still consistently developing new habits. So what does that have to do with NBC?
If you have watched or read the news, you have probably heard about the uproar at NBC about the late night television program line-up (Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Fallon). Last September, NBC moved Jay Leno to prime time television, moved Conan O’Brien into Leno’s spot on The Tonight Show, and hired Jimmy Fallon to take over late night in O’Brien’s spot.
This weekend, NBC announced they would be moving Jay Leno back to The Tonight Show, pushing Conan O’Brien back to his late show spot, and I’m not sure what’s happening to Jimmy Fallon. It’s very confusing, and you may not have the slightest interest in late night television, but there is a point to this story.
People are creatures of habit, just like brushing their teeth in the morning and before they go to bed. They find television shows they like and stick with them, developing a habit to watch them at the same time week after week, and in some cases, day after day. I suspect that when networks start switching things around, people get frustrated when their daily and weekly habits are disrupted and can no longer find their favorite shows or people on TV.
The Tonight Show has been a late night staple since 1954. Followers have watched The Tonight Show faithfully because it is a habit. It wasn’t so much of a transition to see Conan O’Brien slip into Jay Leno’s slot since it was still The Tonight Show. However, followers of Jay Leno who had been in the habit of watching him on The Tonight Show for 17 years, probably had a difficult time transitioning to the prime time slot, which is why Leno’s ratings weren’t as high as NBC may have anticipated.
The Tonight Show has been a success because it has been on at the same time since 1957. When networks move TV shows or personalities into different time slots, people tend to lose interest, just as people lose interest in their goals when they don’t form consistent habits (such as the week after New Year’s).
Lesson learned: television networks can create habits for success and so can you. The moral of the story: by being consistent, developing daily and weekly habits and sticking to your plan, you can achieve success with your goals and avoid being another canceled show or New Year’s resolution gone awry.
What’s in store for late night on NBC? I don’t know, but they’d better have a plan and stick to it.
To your success!
Kay L. Fontana
“The Grandcoach”
