The quote, “If you do what you did, you will get what you got,” reminds us to step outside the box and try something new. If we don’t, we’ll continue to get the same results.

One great way to start something new is by observing whether you have a story attached to the situation. For example, you might be dedicated to a specific outcome because you believe things never work out for you, or that you always have to struggle. With these thoughts, you’ve already set yourself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy—you’ve told yourself it’s going to be hard because of past experiences.

The question is: does it have to be that way? Could you be willing to be cautiously optimistic? We can’t always jump straight to believing that “everything is working out perfectly,” especially if we don’t feel it’s true. That might just set us up for disappointment. But what if you decided to simply consider the possibility of a positive outcome? This doesn’t mean imagining how it would happen, but instead focusing on how it might feel to have a little more ease or hope. This small shift can help you approach things differently.

Another simple way to make a change is to take a different route to work or think differently about the work you do. Or try something even smaller—like getting into bed on the left side instead of the right. These little shifts can pave the way for bigger changes, helping you break out of old patterns and create new results.