Only 8%Just 8% of People Achieve Their New Year's Resolutions. Here's How They Do It people manage to fulfill their own New Year's resolutions. Although approximately every second person gives them. To change for the better - lose weight, start playing sports or self-education - it is important to form new healthy habits or get rid of old and harmful ones. This is not always easy to do. Partly because there are many misconceptions around working with habits that make the task even more difficult. Let's look at some of them.
It takes 21 days to form a habit.
You've probably heard this statement more than once. It was first heard back in the 60s in Maxwell Moltz’s book “Psychocybernetics.” Later, this idea was replicated by psychologists, personal growth experts and, in general, everyone who is not too lazy. You may have come across the book “A World Without Complaints,” in which author Will Bowen suggested that three weeks without criticism, complaining, or whining can radically change a person’s outlook and life.
The idea of 21 days sounds very tempting and inspiring: in less than a month you can become a different person - productive and successful, playing sports and reading an hour a day.
But according to research, for the sustainable formation of a new habit or getting rid of an old one, How are habits formed: Modeling habit formation in the real world requires from 18 to 254 days. For example, Exercise habit formation in new gym members: a longitudinal study after six weeks of regular exercise. It doesn't sound so optimistic anymore. But it is better to know this than to indulge yourself with illusions.
How to change habits
So, it takes 21 days to form a habit...
But how exactly does this process happen?
Most often through overcoming oneself. Our brain, organism, body love comfort, peace and are very concerned about physical happiness. All these ideas of achievement and success are far from them.
Therefore, you can change a habit in 21 days only with the mindset of a successful outcome and result...
...and systematic hard work in the right direction all the days...
...and to understand the stages of formation of each new behavioral element.
The last point is the most important, because sabotage from the brain and body will occur almost daily.
But everything is simple here! The main thing is to endure 21 days until a strong neural connection is formed, and the habit will become an inseparable property of the new life.
Forming a new habit is a matter of discipline and willpower
Willpower is generally given too much importance. Supposedly, it’s enough just to strain yourself and force yourself to do exercises for a while or do without sweets - and everything will work out. Couldn't force it? Well, that means you’re a weak-willed rag, it’s your own fault.
In fact, habits are precisely what is needed in order to do without volitional efforts. After all, willpower is exhaustible. What Is Ego Depletion? resource. She’s like a muscle that you can’t train endlessly; you can’t go far on her alone.
In order to achieve success, you need to create a so-called Hacking Habits: How To Make New Behaviors Last For Good habit loop, which consists of a trigger, an action pattern and a reward. For example, you hear your alarm clock ring, get out of bed, drink a glass of water - this is a trigger, a moment in time or an event that reminds you of your task.
Then you perform a certain sequence of actions: put on sweatpants, lay out a mat, and do yoga. Afterwards you will definitely receive a reward - a feeling of lightness throughout your body, a good mood, the joy of conquering yourself, a tick in your diary, a cup of delicious tea or coffee.
Reward is perhaps the most important element of habit formation.
It is this that helps to deceive the dopamine system, making it believe that morning exercises or learning foreign words is very easy and pleasant and you definitely need to repeat it more often. Be sure to think about what could be a reward for you: praise yourself, pamper yourself with small amenities and gifts, look for something in every task that brings pleasure.
Combine difficult activities with those that give you joy: for example, listen to a podcast or audiobook while jogging. Keep a habit tracker: checking boxes or filling in boxes on a calendar is also a kind of reward.
Take note
