Habits play a crucial role in shaping our lives and determining our success. They can either propel us towards our goals or hold us back from reaching our full potential. Breaking deeply ingrained negative patterns and behaviours can be challenging as we become accustomed to a fixed mindset. Over time, we develop specific ways of thinking and acting that are difficult to change.
Adopting and maintaining new, healthier habits is often a struggle for many. Even when we try to establish new routines, we tend to revert to old habits when stressed, drawn back by their familiarity. The comfort these old habits provide makes it hard to embrace change. Letting go of negative habits is essential to reinventing ourselves in more positive and progressive ways.
“Chains of Habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.”- Warren Buffet
What makes a HABIT and how they work?
Three things that make a habit.
First, a habit is a specific behaviour not an overall goal or pattern of behaviour. It is like a learnt physical behaviour.
Second, a habit is something you do regularly in a particular situation. It is like a mental mannerism which is consistent.
Third, a habit requires little or no psychological effort to engage in. It is largely automatic.
Repetition and attention is the fuel that keeps habits going, both good and bad. A new behaviour you start to engage in isn’t always a habit. It becomes a habit once you have followed it for so long that it becomes a habit.
According to Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit”, every habit has four components and they form a habit loop.
The Cue causes you to start the habit.
The Routine that you engage in.
The Reward you get for doing the routine, and finally,
The Craving that drives your desire for the reward.
Habit loop identification makes it easy to break away from your bad habits.
Are there different types of habits?
When it comes to habits, there are two main categories: streak habits and occasional habits. But what exactly is the difference between the two, and which is better for achieving long-term success?
Streak habits are habits that are performed consistently and regularly, often on a daily basis. These habits become ingrained in our daily routine and are done without much thought or effort.
Examples of streak habits include exercising daily, meditating every morning, or reading before bed every night. Streak habits are powerful because they create a sense of momentum and consistency, making it easier to stick to them over the long term.
Occasional Habits
On the other hand, occasional habits are habits that are done sporadically and inconsistently. These habits are often done in response to a specific trigger or situation, rather than being a regular part of our routine.
Examples of occasional habits include eating junk food when stressed, binge-watching TV shows on weekends, or skipping workouts when feeling lazy. Occasional habits can be harder to maintain because they lack the consistency and structure of streak habits.
So, which is better: Streak habits or Occasional habits?
The answer ultimately depends on your goals and what you are trying to achieve. Streak habits are ideal for building discipline, consistency, and long-term success. By committing to a streak habit, you are creating a positive routine that becomes second nature over time. Streak habits also help to build momentum and motivation, making it easier to stay on track and achieve your goals.
On the other hand, occasional habits can still be beneficial in certain situations. For example, occasional habits can be a way to reward yourself for achieving a milestone or to indulge in moderation. However, relying solely on occasional habits can lead to inconsistency and hinder your progress towards your goals.
Overall, streak habits are generally more effective for achieving long-term success and building positive routines. By committing to streak habits, you are setting yourself up for success and creating a foundation for lasting change.However, occasional habits can still have their place in your routine as long as they are used in moderation and do not derail your progress. Ultimately, the key is to find a balance between streak habits and occasional habits that works best for you and helps you achieve your goals.
Your Habit Change System
Research indicates that after consistently following a new habit or breaking an old pattern for five days, it becomes significantly easier to maintain, increasing the likelihood of the habit change sticking. To change your habits effectively, consider the following strategies:
Break Bad Habits:
- One way to do this is to disrupt the cue that causes you to engage in that habit. Prevent cue from happening.
- Second way to end bad habit is to stop engaging in the routine.
- And the third way can be by sabotaging your reward so it feels less rewarding and satisfying whenever you indulge in a bad habitual pattern.
Choose one bad habit related to your goal and identify the cue, routine, reward for that and as well as its craving. Select one of the ways and use it every day to break that habit.
Build Positive Habits:
There are some habits whose impact is much broader and they are habits behind habits and are called keystone habits. Building positive keystone habits can have cascading effect. For example, being healthier can enhance productivity, reduce stress, and lower spending on unhealthy food.
To build keystone habits you can use,
- Cue piggybacking by choosing an event that occurs on a regular basis to act as the cue for your new habit, then start doing the routine every time your chosen cue occurs.
- Chaining two or more habits that you will be doing one after the other.
- Routine substitution by replacing an old routine with a new one that satisfies the same craving.
Hold yourself accountable and stay motivated
Avoid getting motivated only by external factors. This makes you feel like you are forced to do, rather than something you want to do. Intrinsic motivation is better when it comes to the habit change system. An external source of motivation that reinforces intrinsic motivation helps you to continue with your habit change. Holding yourself accountable will get you through brief periods of temptation by strengthening your will power.
Improve your environment to improve your habits
Our behaviour and attitudes are often shaped by our environment. Conformity distorts our perceptual abilities. This also impacts our personal development. Changing your environment helps you to maintain your good habits or change from old ones. Put yourself in an environment that supports the person you want to be. Think of one way you can alter your environment to make it easier to maintain your good habits.
To sum up,
Developing good habits, like streak habits, is crucial for success. They offer consistency, momentum, and long-term benefits. And transcending negative habitual patterns is a journey that requires mindfulness, dedication, and patience. By becoming aware of your automatic behaviours and understanding their underlying triggers, you can begin to dismantle these patterns and replace them with positive, empowering habits.
It’s important to remember that change doesn’t happen overnight; it involves consistent effort and self-compassion. So, celebrate your small victories, acknowledge your efforts, and embrace setbacks as learning opportunities.
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