60. Forming a Habit Takes a Long Time and Requires Small Steps

Questions to Ask Yourself

• Why are you motivated to do some of the same tasks every day?
• What did it take for these activities to become a habit?
• What would it take to change the habit to something else?
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How Long it Takes to Form a Habit

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• Average amount of time it takes for people to form a habit = 66 days
• However, there is a wide range from 18 days to 254 days in this particular study.
• The more complex the behavior, the longer it takes to become a habit.

Habits Explained

• The Science of Habits | Marco Badwal | TEDxFS (Embed)

What if You Miss a Day?

• Missing a day here and there doesn't have a significant effect.
• Lots of missed days or 2 or more days missed in a row have an effect on the time it takes to cement a habit.
• Greater consistency = reaching the automatic point more quickly.
• Forgive yourself if you miss a day and keep going!

Tips and Takeaways

• Commit to something small rather than something complex.
• Give people a reason to do the task every day or almost every days.
• Be patient because creating new habits can take a long time!
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