Our lives are comprised of daily habits, and it’s the sum of these routines that determine the trajectory we’re on and where we’ll eventually end up.
If we typically make decisions that support our wellbeing for example we’re likely to age well and be healthy.
If however, we consistently make poor choices around food, drink and exercise then we probably won’t.
While we might know that we have some bad habits however, it can be very difficult to change them. Changes within our relationships. Changes within our careers. Changes around our health and mindset. We know what we want to be different but when a habit is ingrained it can be hard to break.
Four ways to make habits stick
Here are a few things you can do to make it more likely you will stick to a new commitment:
1) Keep it achievable: often the problem is we go too big (or too small). So be like Goldilocks and choose a change that feels “just right”. Get it over the line and then choose what you want to do next.
2) Motivation: you need to know why you are doing something so that when it becomes hard or boring you can motivate yourself to keep going. So get very clear on the purpose of making a change.
3) Stay accountable: you are two times more likely to stick to a new habit if you have an accountability buddy? So tell a friend, partner or family member what you are doing and ask them to check in.
4) Reminders: make sure you have the right cues in place to prompt you to stay on track. And remove the triggers that don’t! Your environment plays a big part in reinforcing your habits.
The key thing to remember throughout is that being clear on the end goal isn’t enough – you need to have on the daily habits that bring it to life. So absolutely know where you want to get to, but also be honest about what it will take to get there.
