There is an old proverb that habits are cobwebs at first, and cables at last, meaning that any new habit is easy to break, but over time habits strengthen and become foundational to your day-to-day behavior.
Studies estimate that around 40% of your behavior on any given day is habitual—flicking on a light when you enter a room, or brushing your teeth before bed.
Habits are powerful because they are fast, efficient, and take little mental energy. But they can be tricky. Habits don’t care about your hopes, dreams, or goals. They can be good for your health, but they don’t have to be.
- The secret to forming habits is to perform a simple behavior consistently, in the same place and time, that accomplishes a goal.
- With time and repetition, the goal part goes away, and you’re left with the behavior.
- Don’t worry about trying to develop habits. Your brain is naturally wired to form habits and will do so whether you try or not.
- The main benefit of habits is that they help preserve your mental energy. The less mental energy you spend on simple behaviors, the more you’ll have for the important stuff—like enjoying life.
While there are several excellent books on habits, we don’t want you to get too bogged down.
Don’t overthink habits.
Same healthy behavior. Same place or time. Achieve a goal. Rinse and repeat.
