How to Install a New Habit

 “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” –Aristotle

If you want to know about a person just spend few days with him; you will get to know his habits. We can judge a person by his habits. We are nothing but a bunch of habits moving together. Of course they can be good or bad. How can we identify the difference; simple if it moves you towards progress, it’s a good one. If it draws you backwards it’s a bad habit.

Most of us assume that a habit can be broken easily, we try different methods; but fail. I hear many people saying “I can quit (this habit) whenever I want ” but the very same people cannot break the habit when the time really comes. Remember what Samuel Johnson said, “The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”

Note: The successful installation of a habit takes place only when you do it for 21 days, consistently and consecutively. 

Here I am providing you some time-tested methods that will help you to install a new habit:

1.    One Habit at a time: Many of us chain ourselves by over promising to do so many things at a time. But this leads to failure and finally ends up in frustration. Instead of that try to achieve only one habit at a time. Find the habits that are bothering you and replace them with good ones.  Ex. Replace junk food with healthy diet, replace procrastination (postponement) with punctuality

2.    Put it on Paper: Writing has such a tremendous power that connects to your deepest emotions. When you write, it radiates a kind of commitment. List the rewards you want to give yourself when you reach your desired habit. Promise yourself that you will be sticking to it for 21 days. Write in a diary or a personal pocket book

3.    Blow this issue: When you want to quit smoking or junk food etc, announce it to everyone you know. Pubic commitment brings accountability. The fear of being embarrassed in front of others propels you to stick to it. So tell the world. Do not promise to a close friend because many times we take them for granted. Instead promise to your children or to an elderly person whom you admire and respect

4.    Join the community: Like attracts like. A smoker always seeks the company of another smoker. The opposite is also true. The non-smoker seeks a non-smoker. When you are surrounded by the people of high performance, naturally you will be inclined towards it.  When you want to start jogging, join the ‘early risers community’ rather than sitting with the same bunch of people who wake up along with you.   

5.    Do research on yourself: When you understand yourself completely the advantage is twofold - First, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses and second, you can work on them. Just simply think about these questions related to your habits and write your responses on a paper

a. What drives you towards that habit?

b. What’s stopping you from taking the right action?

c. What do you lose if you continue the habit?

d. What do you gain if you quit?

6.    Know your Triggers: What happens when you see a Gulab Jamun (Indian sweet). Your mind associates to your earlier experience of eating that sweet. It recollects the feeling and your tongue salivates. The same way our habits are associated with triggers, we need to identify such triggers. The more consistent the link to the trigger, the stronger the habit. After having meals, many people smoke. One task reminds them the other. Here meal is the trigger. When a smoker meets another smoker, this triggers them to smoke. So here the other smoker acts as a trigger. Identify such triggers in your habits and associate a negative trigger to a positive one.

Ex. Now when you finish a meal, instead of reaching for a cigarette, start to read a book or sleep (sleeping is better than a cigarette). Gradually your mind associates reading (or sleeping) as a post-meal activity.     

7.    Record your Progress: What cannot be measured cannot be improved. When you know the progress it allows you to continue. There is no other motivator in this world other than your own progress.

8.    Consistency is the Key: It is not just action but the consistency of it that separates the best from the rest. Repeat, until winning becomes your habit

9.    Celebrate: When you acquire a new good habit or if you quit an old bad habit, celebrate. Throw a BIG party to your closest people. Share your success story.

 

Few habits of the Great achievers

v  Wise people Learn (till their last breath)

v  They take Risks

v   Go-getters Face their fears

v  They Surround themselves with other achievers

v  They are ‘On Time’, every time

          So act NOW………

           “Kill the habit before it kills you

                             Of course..  One at a time”……ajaY vegeSna

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