For the last two weeks, I woke up at 8 AM. For some of you, that’s sleeping in, but for me it’s early. I plan to eventually scale this back to as early as 5:30 AM.
I will keep this early riser habit, but it isn’t because of what I’m doing – it is because of what I’m not doing.
What A Habit Needs To Succeed
I’m only pursuing one habit right now. Rising early is just one of, admittedly, numerous other habits I want to establish, including an entire morning routine of exercise, healthy morning smoothies, and writing. And yet, I’m not making myself work out in the morning. I’m not fixing a green vegetable smoothie in the morning. And I’m not requiring myself to write in the morning, either. For the entire month, I only have to get up early.
The question must be asked – why just one habit?
The answer is simple and based on research – humans have limited reserves of willpower.
The temptation is to bundle similar habits together, such as practicing my entire morning routine alongside getting up early. It’s logical, as these tasks do go together, but it’s a bad idea. Not only would that overwhelm my willpower, but adding several requirements makes success far more difficult to achieve, and successfully making a habit stick is the main objective here. Not only do you have to get up, but you have to work out, prepare vegetables to make a healthy shake, and write…all while feeling groggy? That makes me want to stay in bed!
What typically happens is a domino effect, you drop one habit you’re pursuing and the associated failure knocks down every other good habit you are trying to establish. For example, say I get up early, but I fail the exercise challenge for a few days. I might just stay in bed the next day, because hey, I’ve been failing my morning routine anyways. It’s difficult to separate the success of getting up early from the failure of not exercising. I know this because it’s happened to me (and foiled my progress) 455 times.
Isolate one habit and make sure you succeed consistently with it. In time, the new behavior will stick and you can move on to the next one.
One Habit At A Time Is Not A Waste Of Time
Establishing one habit at a time gives you the best chance to succeed. Resist the notion that one habit is too small of an aim; one small habit, which can be established in a month, can change your life for decades. Sixty-five failed attempts to establish a habit, however, will do nothing for you. When it comes to habits, making them stick is where the value is. Be careful though, because even one tiny habit is challenging. Don’t take any habit challenge lightly and dedicate yourself to making it work.
Creating a new good habit is a thrilling, life-altering opportunity. Don’t be greedy and try to do several at once. You can pick the very most important habit to start with. If it proves too difficult, pick an easier one to strengthen your willpower and discipline or seek supplemental support from friends and family. With accountability and support, you can tackle habits that would be too difficult for you otherwise.
Think about it. How many new habits have you successfully formed in the past year? If it is less than 12, you’ll benefit from this idea.
Depending on who you talk to, a habit takes 30-60 days to establish. I’d be more comfortable spending 60 focused days on important habits like rising early to make it strong (i.e. no other new habits in that 60 days). And if I can develop a lifelong habit of rising early in just 60 days, that’s one of the best time investments I will ever make.
I’m choosing rising early first because it is a foundational habit and because it’s my white whale. Once I habitually get up at 6 AM, I can add, one at a time, components of my desired morning routine. Early rising gives me more time in the day to add more hobbies and habits without much sacrifice in other areas.
Imagine molding your life strategically, 30 (or 60) days at a time. Every month would be a celebration of a newly formed or reformed habit. Add a habit this month, take one away next month. In a couple years time, you’d be a completely different person. This will give you real, high impact results in life. Our lives are the products of habits, so let’s establish the best ones, one habit at a time.
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Stephen Guise frequently generates effective ideas for life improvement at the award-winning blog, Deep Existence – Personal Development’s Deep End.
-share some ways you have found helpful for developing habits in the comments below.
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