Since we just flipped the calendar on a New Year, I thought that it would be appropriate to focus one post exclusively on resolutions and more importantly habits. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business is an essential read on this topic as it tries to get the reader to focus on the process of what makes up a habit.
In order to change a behavior/habit, you have to figure out the habit loop. To do this you need to:
- Figure out the routine, identify the behavior that you want to change
- Determine the rewards that satisfy the cravings, your cravings drive your behaviors
- Isolate the cue by reducing the amount of noise/information; Location/Time/Emotional State/Other People/Immediately preceding action
Once you understand the habit loop, you can begin to develop a plan to shift the behavior
- Plan for the cue to hit
- Find a behavior that satisfies the reward that you are craving
- When the cue hits, have the willpower and discipline to make the right choice
Believe me, this is much easier than it sounds but changing habits, even little ones, can have a profound impact on your life.
Other Great Articles that Address Resolutions and Habits
- WHY ARE RESOLUTIONS SO HARD TO FOLLOW?
- How To Stop Procrastinating: 4 New Steps Backed By Research
- 5 Common Mistakes That Cause New Habits to Fail (and What to Do About Them)
- James Clear - The 10 Most Popular Articles of the Year, this piece contains many great features and points bout changing an developing new habits
