Identify and cultivate “keystone habits” – single habits (like exercise or an early bedtime) that, when established, automatically trigger a cascade of other positive changes in your life, such as healthier eating or reduced procrastination.
Leverage keystone habits to redefine your self-image, telling yourself a new story about who you are (e.g., “I’m the kind of person who runs in the morning”), which then influences other positive behaviors.
To make a keystone habit effective, you must prove to yourself through consistent action that you are the kind of person who performs that habit, as your brain is skeptical until it sees proof.
To identify a potential keystone habit, consider changes that feel “irrationally frightening” or uncomfortable, as these are often the ones that will be most meaningful and transformative for your self-perception.
When trying to change a bad habit, identify the true reward your brain is seeking (e.g., self-soothing, social connection, a break) rather than assuming it’s the obvious behavior itself.
Once you’ve identified the true reward of a bad habit, experiment with alternative, healthier behaviors that provide the same reward (e.g., call a friend for self-soothing instead of eating chocolate, or take a walk for a break instead of eating a cookie).
Experiment with different alternative behaviors to find what truly satisfies the underlying craving or reward, as the obvious solution (e.g., an apple for a sweet craving) might not be the actual driver.
Actively bring awareness to the cues and rewards of your habits, as our brains tend to “power down” and ignore these details when a habit is automatic, making change harder.
Begin new habits with extremely small, incremental steps (e.g., walk one block instead of running a mile) to build momentum and allow yourself to learn from your patterns, making change easier and more sustainable.
Consistently performing small, manageable changes helps to build momentum, making it easier to progress towards larger goals and solidify new behaviors.
To create a new habit, intentionally choose a clear cue (e.g., placing running shoes by the bed, time of day, laying out clothes) that triggers the desired behavior.
When establishing a new habit, set up multiple cues (e.g., visual cue, time of day, prepared items) to increase the likelihood that one will effectively trigger the behavior.
Intentionally choose a specific, enjoyable reward for completing a new desired behavior to reinforce the habit loop (e.g., a nice long shower and smoothie after a run).
Actively decide and tell yourself that a chosen reward is truly enjoyable and valuable, as our perception of something as rewarding makes it more so, similar to how perceiving stress influences its impact.
Understand that forming a new habit will get progressively easier over time, even if imperceptibly day-to-day, as your brain’s basal ganglia works to automate consistent behaviors.
Trust that with consistent cues and rewards, your brain will eventually automate new behaviors, conserving cognitive energy, until they become effortless and automatic like brushing your teeth.