Let’s get one thing straight
The process of taking an idea, such as a New Year’s Resolution, and implementing it out of motivation is essentially a falsehood.
“I’m going to start hitting the gym x3 a week”, “Carbs are out of my diet today, and I’ll stop drinking so much beer and soda.” — Have you personally ever noticed yourself saying similar sayings at the start of a new season or after watching an inspirational video?
You’re not alone. These thoughts come to us almost naturally when we see the needed change in our routines and lives. But the problem is not motivation, it’s habitual.
Our bodies are designed to become increasingly proficient at repetitive behaviors that we train into our actions daily. According to the Harvard Business Review, about 40-45% of what we perceive to be decisions we make are habits themselves.
With the way and wiring of the brain, behaviors and our thoughts originate in the prefrontal cortex at the front of the brain. However, as they move farther back into the brain, into the basal ganglia, that’s where automatic habits begin to take control.
The essential formula for habits:
Cue > Routine > Reward
Just like something as ingrained as brushing your teeth before bed, taking the grime from your teeth and making way for a fresh, minty taste and a tingle of cleanliness, has been trained into your daily routine (hopefully for the sake of those around you). So, can you train other good routines into your already existing daily framework?
Teeth feel slimy > Brush teeth > Feel minty fresh
Habit Chaining
Why spend an excessive amount of mental and physical energy trying to change something rapidly and against the flow, making it a chore? My idea on this takes a different approach, takes an already existing Cue and Reward, and incorporates a “chained” routine in between the two.
Let’s take one of my favorite examples:
Feel sweaty and tired after a day of work? Do Some Push-Ups. Shower and feel refreshed and clean.
Odds are you’re already going to shower at the end of the day (or morning, if that’s your rhythm). Why not add some extra health benefits, then wash all that perspiration away with a clearer, more focused mind?
My Personal Experience
I started doing push-ups several years ago, and I began with small sets. Doing 5-10 before each shower (the point is to pick something achievable, even if it's simply two). Then I aimed higher, allowing for nothing less than 50+ or I wouldn't permit myself to shower. It wasn’t a giant leap; it was intentional, daily actions that accumulated over time. Start small and build from there. *(Since then, I've built up to 2 hours in the gym 5 days a week. This was certainly not an overnight change! This is something that only becomes possible long term with habits, not to mention becoming increasingly easier as well.) *
If you enjoyed the information in this post and would like more daily food for thought, enter your information below. I email a few times a week and won't send spam.
— Tyler Jennings Coatsworth
