He had tried and tried before but he never could quit. He told himself he wanted to. He used every new “miracle” product that came out. But, he’d never make it for more than two days.
Breaking bad habits that you’ve held for such a long time can feel impossible. You’ve essentially got to rewire your brain. However, if you can muster up the discipline for a month or two you can break your bad habit for good.
I asked my friend what helped him to stop smoking this time. Here are the steps he took to break the bad habit.
You Have to Possess a Strong Desire
You can’t break a habit because other people think it’s bad or because you kind-of, maybe want to do it. You have to be ALL IN.
If you’re not determined to make your life different (no matter the habit you’re trying to break) it’s not going to work. If your desire is not strong you’re not going to be successful.
Here are some practical steps for increasing your desire:
- Make a list of all the reasons you want to change your habit
- Visualize how your life will look once you’ve accomplished your goal
- Think of all the obstacles you’re going to face and prepare for them
Replace the Old Habit with a New One
One of the quickest ways to success is to replace your old habit with a new one. For instance, when my friend wanted a cigarette he took a sip of water.
If you’re trying to lower your spending start putting money into a jar every time you don’t make one of your regular purchases. If you’re trying to eat healthier carry around a bag of carrots and eat one every time you’re tempted to cheat.
Think of different things you can do to replace the old habit with a new one.
Be Aware of Your Triggers
Once you set out to change a habitual part of your life you’re going to need to be super aware of your triggers.
Figure out the “why” behind the old habit so that you can restructure your schedule and set yourself up for success. For at least a month you need to avoid all of your old triggers as much as humanly possible.
Stick with it for 30-90 Days
There are statistics all over the place on how long it takes for a new habit to develop. Some studies show 21 days to develop a new habit while others show it taking as much as 90 days.
The amount of time it’s going to take for you will depend on how addicted your brain is to the old habit as well as how long you’ve had the habit. If you’re serious about change, plan on sticking with your new routine for around three months. After that your new habits should be fully developed.
Do you have any tips for breaking bad habits?