A new habit

August 18th, 2006 • Related • Filed Under

Filed Under: Blogging • Goal setting • Health • Science

Tags: Just do it • Motivation • My thoughts

21 days to a new habit

Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. That’s 21 days of going to the gym every day or exercising in some way every day, 21 days to meditation, 21 days to eat healthily, 21 days doing, 21 days of anything.

When you want to start a habit, don’t tell yourself you are doing it for life, tell yourself (your conscious brain) that you are going to try it for 21 days. For example if you want to start the habit of meditating tell your conscious self that you are trying it for 21 days. Now, when you have completed this for 21 days your conscious mind has the choice of stopping it or carrying on, or so it thinks. Your neural pathways have formed already and you will more than likely continue with your new habit, you will have seen the benefits along the way your unconscious will want to continue if it has been beneficial.

This can also work when trying to break a habit, however research has shown that the neural pathways to any habit could be lifelong and a cue or a trigger can cause us to start back up an old habit, like smoking.

This is not a bad thing; we just have to be aware of our thoughts when we have given up a habit such as smoking.

When starting or breaking any habit we tend to tell our conscious mind we are going to change and it’s for life. Your conscious mind will just say ‘is that right? I’m in charge here, I’ll decide’ so there will be a battle between your two sides of your conscious mind.

If you tell your mind you want to try something for 21 days it won’t be so unwilling to co-operate. This might sound a little strange when I say ‘talking to your conscious’ as it is your conscious talking to your conscious. We all know we have conversations with ourselves, should I go to the pub should I not, should I go to the gym should I not. There are a hundred conversations we have with ourselves everyday.

When we want to start something or give up something, smoking for example, you might normally say to yourself ‘right that’s it I’m giving up for good’. Immediately your brain kicks in and says no smoking for life, and then it starts to think of all the situations it likes a good cigarette in; first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee, going out for a drink at night, at work when you’re a bit stressed, just after sex etc. Your brain thinks ‘lack of’ instead of the benefits of. It can’t really think as clearly about the benefits because it hasn’t yet had the benefits of giving up smoking but it knows the supposed pleasures that smoking brings.

So what habits can we start for 21 days?

I have made a list for myself that I am in the middle of doing;

• Give up sweets for 21 days

• Meditate for 21 days

• Write in the blog every day for 21 days

• Get up before 6am every day (I’ve actually made this a habit now)

• Drink a vegetable juice for 21 days

This is just a small list of the things I am doing. Feel free to share you 21 day new habits.

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There Are 10 Responses So Far. »

1. Pingback by Best Massage Oil Reviews» Blog Archive » With a quick response of, Okay, what is…. (sensual massage technique) on 19 August 2006:

   [...] A new habitA new habit August 18, 2006 Posted by enquiries in : Goal setting, Science, Motivation, Health, Just do it, Alternative Health, My thoughts, Blogging… [...]


2. Comment by ST on 5 January 2007:

   do you have a source for the research that shows it takes 21 days to create a new habit? I read somewhere that in the 21 days new neural pathways are created, but I’d like to see some citations. Thanks


3. Pingback by How to be more focussed on 12 May 2007:

   [...] Downtime and uptime go hand in hand and you can greatly enhance your life if you practice focused mindful uptime and more relaxing downtime. Why not try it for 21 days and make it a habit or just let it go if it doesn’t work for you. [...]


4. Pingback by Simple Tips on How to Exercise and Still Have a Life | Natural Health Remedies on 23 August 2007:

   [...] It might seem a lot to do everyday but you only need to do a few exercises at a time. Remember: little and often. I’ve been on this regime for about 2 weeks now and am amazed at how much strength and flexibility I’ve gained. Why not challenge yourself to do this for the next 21 days? Why 21? Well, it seems that’s how long it takes to form a habit. [...]


5. Comment by interested visitor on 4 January 2008:

   Hi,

   you write “Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop a habit.”

   Could you point me to the relevant research?

   Thanks.


6. Comment by graham on 9 January 2008:

   Agreed, references and citation are basic requirements when stating research backed “facts”. It’s not that I’m unwilling to consider the possibility that its correct or effective, but I’m also wary of the self-help placebo feel-good revolution thats become ever so popular in the last 2 decades, and this is coming from someone who works in the alternative medicine field btw. There is of course good evidence that thinking positively promotes health, and negative the reverse, but there is no substitute for solid, reproducible, carefully controlled experimentation that repeatedly (if not exclusively) yields predictable results. Any help you could give me regarding this would be much appreciated - and it might not be a bad idea to include said information with this page, assuming you have it that is.

   Thanks much.

   g


7. Comment by Melinda on 19 February 2008:

   Which research shows? What is your source? I’m writing a paper. Thanx.


8. Pingback by Long Days and Pleasant Nights » Keeping up the organization on 19 March 2008:

   [...] In another few days or weeks, keeping the house clean and organized will become habit [...]


9. Pingback by Affiliate Business Cash » Blog Archive » Challenges Of A Home Business Owner on 13 May 2008:

   [...] because we are in a habit of doing things a certain way. As you might already know, it takes 21 days to change a habit and really, this is the only thing that stands between you and your bad habit right [...]


10. Comment by judy on 30 July 2008:

    I am wondering if there has been a response about the research citings requests. I don’t see any am I looking in the wrong place?

    Thanks

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