Why Habits?

When setting health goals, don’t ignore the power of habit

Is there an area of your health you’ve been working on but can’t seem to improve? Let’s talk about why habits may be holding you back.

Do you feel your clothes touching your body?

Are you thinking about the humming of the dishwasher?

Are you aware that rain is gently falling outside?

Probably not. Why? Because your brain is trained to ignore those inputs so that you can focus on checking your email, talking to your kids, and reading this blog!

Our brains are amazing! Just like they can choose what inputs to focus on and what to ignore, they are also remarkable at forming habits, both good and bad.

The power of habit

In his book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg shares that our brains develop habits in order to save effort. This gives our brains more time to take breaks during the day. Not only does developing habits allow our brain to get more rest, it also allows our brains to focus on more difficult tasks.

Why do you always put your right shoe on and then your left? Why do you always wash your face, hair, then body in that order in the shower? Because your brain formed those habits. And those habits allow you to talk to your spouse as you get ready for work or make a mental grocery list while in the shower.

The consequence of habit

Although having our brain conserve energy by forming habits seems helpful and harmless, it is our habits that actually create who we are. Maybe the order you put your shoes on doesn’t have a big impact on your life, but what you choose to eat for breakfast each day and how you react to your kids when they misbehave do.

Duhigg says, “Most of the choices we make each day may feel like the products of well-considered decision making, but they’re not. They’re habits. And though each habit means relatively little on its own, over time, the meals we order, what we say to our kids each night, whether we save or spend, how often we exercise…have enormous impacts.”

What bad habit is negatively effecting your life right now? We can all think of one. What positive habit have you seen bring immeasurable joy into your life and helped create you into the person you are today?

This is the power of small decisions over time. This is the power of our habits.

Habit and health

This is why I talk about habits so much in my writing. I’ve realized that my habits can make or break my efforts to improve my health. Why do I look for a snack after dinner (even though I’m not hungry)? Because nighttime snacking is a habit.

Choosing to take time to care for your kids after school is wonderful, but if you never take time to build the habit of exercise into your life, you won’t experience the longevity and health that allows you to chase your grandkids.

In the area of health, what good habit have you built? Do you go for a walk every morning, pack vegetables in your lunch each day, take time each evening to journal and clear your head? Great job! Celebrate the things you are doing well!

In the area of health, what bad habits have you built? Don’t beat yourself up over them. That won’t help. Instead focus on ONE habit that seems to be the “ringleader.” The one thing that if you changed would effect all the other habits. My post on keystone habits will help you identify this habit.

Back to goals

As we have seen today, our brain is incredible and it forms habits to allow us to focus on our more complex tasks during the day. But as habits are built and continued over time, they can have bigger consequences on our lives than we imagine. So be thankful for how wonderfully designed your brain is, but pay attention to the habits you are forming.

Goal setting and habits are closely linked. You can’t achieve a goal without changing one or more habits. See my previous post where I talk about the importance of breaking down your goals to the “habit” level.

Check out another blog that talks about breaking down goals.

Want a FREE resource on goal setting using these methods? This FREE download will walk you through simple steps to setting goals and creating new routines that tackle habits and create long-term change. Reach out to me on Instagram or Facebook and I’ll send it your way!

References:

Charles Duhigg. The Power of Habit. (New York, Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2012), pg xv, xvi, 15-18.