Think back to the last time you tried starting a new habit. It could be anything; working out, getting more steps, drinking more water, not eating dessert, reading more, etc.
How long did it last?
Studies show that most “new habits” are dropped around the 2-week mark. The answer to solving this isn’t more willpower, or discipline. 9 times out of 10 it’s the exact opposite.
Start smaller.
Most habits are started when motivation is at an all-time high. This is an AMAZING kickstart, but it’s a trap.
We set our goals too high. We forget that we have bad days. We forget that life will always have curveballs. We forget that with every peak comes a valley.
This causes the usual cycle seen in fitness. Start out HOT – 5 days a week of working out. Getting up at 4:30am to prep your meals. Not eating bread, or even thinking about sniffing a carb.
You are on a roll for 2-weeks.
Then the motivation starts dipping. Those 4:30am alarms start looking more like 5:30am. Slowly meal prep went from every day of the week, to 1 or 2 days. Breakfast is now a croissant instead of your black coffee.
We hit the valley. We are right back to where we started 2-weeks later.
Here’s how to break the cycle:
Step 1: Pick 1 habit at a time (make it specific).
Step 2: Think of what you want your ultimate goal to be. Then strip it down to the most basic starting point.
Step 3: Your sole focus is to accomplish your starting point goal. And do it consistently.
Step 4: Once your original goal becomes “easy”, take it one step further.
Step 5: Rinse and repeat until you are at your goal.
This is what it looks like in action:
Ultimate Goal – I want to stop eating dessert daily.
Starting Point – This week I will have dessert every other day. If I have it on Monday, I will skip it on Tuesday. I will do this for 2-weeks without focusing on anything else, or making this harder.
2-Weeks Later – That went well, and I was consistent! Now I will only have dessert 3 days a week.
2-Weeks Later – I am crushing it! I will keep dessert at 3 days a week, but one of the “dessert days” has to be a “healthier option” (fruit salad, sugar-free pudding, etc.)
Continue rinsing and repeating until you’re at your ultimate goal.
The most important piece of the puzzle? If there’s a “Checkpoint” that is harder for you to stick to, keep it as your checkpoint until it is a consistent habit.
The fastest way to make sure a habit doesn’t stick, is a timeline that is unattainable, and sets you up for failure from the get go.
Small wins, done consistently, with minor “upgrades”, is the way to lifelong success on any new habit.
