Did you know that the majority of what you think or do in a day is done on autopilot? That’s why taking time to raise awareness to your habits and beliefs, and rewiring them for more empowering or aligned ones is one of the greatest acts you can do in this life if you’re on a personal development journey.
In this post, I’m breaking down what habits are, why they’re so important, and some of the best ways to build a new habit.
What is a Habit?
A habit is a practiced and repeated act. They’re usually what feels like ‘instinctual’ or ‘automatic,’ which is what makes breaking ‘bad’ habits so tough!
You may have heard the phrase that, ‘we are a sum of our habits,’ which is because habits make up so much of our life. They’re the little things we think + do every day, accounting for about 40% of our daily behaviour.
Why Our Habits Matter
Because our habits make up so much of our daily behaviour, it’s important that we raise awareness to what our existing habits are, and ensure they align with how we want to spend our time.
Healthy, aligned habits:
- Free up valuable brain space! Having to make little decisions like what to eat or wear is one of the biggest ‘time wasters’ for creatives. There’s a reason why Steve Jobs is said to have worn a black turtleneck every day… it’s classic, and he didn’t have to think about what to wear every day; instead, he could focus on creating and his genius.
- They allow us to pursue the actions that align us with who we are becoming
“Your habits shape your identity, and your identity shapes your habits.” – James Clear
How Long Does It Take To Create a New Habit?
It takes about 66 days of daily practice for an action to become a habit, though of course, that is simply a piece of data. Every person is different… for some, creating a habit will take less time, for others more. It also depends how you approach the habit formation period.
Remember this: it’s hard to unlearn an old habit or learn a new one… so give yourself grace and talk to yourself as you would your best friend. That’s the way you’ll get through the river of change to the other side and succeed in creating the new aligned habit.
Keystones = How to Build New Habits
The best way to develop a new habit is by tacking it on to an existing habit. For example, if you want to be better about skincare, you may decide to start washing your face and moisturizing twice daily. The best way to make this a habit would be to link it to something else you already do twice daily, like brushing your teeth, and doing them concurrently.
The key is finding these keystone habits like brushing your teeth (things you do almost without thinking every day). What are your keystone habits?
“Stretch, Stick, Strum, Say” – My Guitar Teacher BF
My partner Mike has taught online guitar lessons for close to ten years now. One thing I’m used to hearing him say when he’s teaching a new chord to his students is this:
“Stretch, stick, strum, say.”
The student is meant to first stretch his hand completely off the fretboard, then stick it back on the board with fingers in the shape of the chord. Then, strum the chord and say aloud the name of the chord. Repeat a few times.
This is an example of habit formation…
It requires repetition, but you can teach your brain or even rewire what your brain believes, or what you do on ‘auto-pilot’ each day.
But just like if you want to become a shredder on the guitar… you gotta practice! And
This is why having routines and habits allows you to regularly practice your desired thought patterns.
Habit Formation Requires REPETITION
While you work to form your new habit, it may be helpful to think of it as a new routine. Habits typically involve little conscious thought, while routines require intention and discipline. Before your new habit can become instinctual and unconscious, you will need to put in some clear intention and repetition.
‘Good’ and ‘Bad’ habits are both formed through REPETITION. Repetition creates a mental link for us between the context of the ‘cue’ that prompts the consequential behaviour or action we take.
Create Long-Term Habitual Change
Starting with the FULFILLED free masterclass.
- shift your focus from outward success to inner fulfillment
- dedicate yourself to your most creative + fulfilled self
- understand how to create sustaining life-changing habits
Other Posts You’ll Love
3 Daily Habits to Build Resilience
Questions? Comments? I'm all ears! Share your thoughts below...