How to Realistically Turn Actions into Habits
How long does it really take? What must I do to turn my useful, productive actions into actual habits?
The Slight Edge and The Compound Effect teach us that its the small, easy to do (but easy not to do) actions that we take everyday that ultimately result in success. Each day the process starts with a mentally explicit commitment to these actions. BUT…the holy grail is when these ACTIONS become HABITS! Once the habit is formed, these actions become easier and easier to do, and harder not to do. With any habit (good or bad), our mind feels the reward once the action is complete.
So how do we do it?
I’ve read about and heard people say that it takes 21 days to create a habit. However, the research shows that its actually somewhere between 21 days and 8 months, or 9 months, or whenever. Here’s an excellent post that shows that on average, it’s more like 66 days. The reality is, its actually highly dependent on the habit trying to be formed, and the individual trying to form it.
Here is a quick, and very annotated class on how habits form. This concept is put forth in a book by Charles Duhigg, called The Power of Habit. Forming a new habit starts with a 3-part process known as a “habit loop”.
- There’s a cue or trigger
- The behavior/action itself
- A reward
When we merge this process with our success concepts, we see this process as the following:
- The trigger is a mental commitment to taking the action. An explicit desire to move forward.
- The action is taken.
- The reward is the mind’s fulfillment of having taken that action and knowing that we are 1 day closer to realizing our vision.
We’re all unique and individually designed, and with any action from which we are trying to create a habit, we must understand that there’s probably not a toggle switch at 21 days, 66 days, 8 months, or whatever time frame. We have to COMMIT to and then EMBRACE the process. It might be a long slow walk, or it may go quick. In either case, we start with a commitment to the system of turning the easy to do, easy not to do actions into habits. Here’s another excellent post on turning your goals into habits.
And some day, maybe many days, we’re gonna make mistakes. There are going to be days when we don’t get it done. There are days when the Resistance is too great, or the Instant Gratification Monkey rips the steering wheel out of our hands. The great news is the research also shows that missing an opportunity on any given day does NOT negatively affect the habit formation process. It’s a gradual process with steps forward and maybe some steps backward. The key is to commit to taking that action the next day, or the next opportunity.
Forming a new habit is likely going to be a long haul. It’s not an overnight thing. But if we commit the Slight Edge, and to taking the actions everyday, then ultimately those new, productive and useful habits are formed.
It starts with the mental commitment, continues with the action itself, and then ends with the mind’s reward of having taken the action.
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Have a great day!
