How Long Does It Take to Form a Habit?

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Science tells us that it takes about three months of repetition, almost every day, for a habit to become really strong. How long something takes depends on how the behaviour is and how complex it is. We don't have awareness of how our habits work but there's lots of speculation out there in literature.

Wendy Wood reveals recent science behind habit formation and how you can use it to reshape your own behavior.

— YOU’LL LEARN —

1) The trick to building habits

2) Why context is so crucial for habits

3) The one question to control your bad habit

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— ABOUT WENDY —

Wendy Wood is a behavioral scientist who is Provost Professor of Psychology and Business at the University of Southern California. She is the author of the book, Good Habits, Bad Habits. For the past 30 years, she has been researching the nature of habits and why they are so difficult to change.

• Book: Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick

• Instagram: @profwendywood

• Twitter: @ProfWendyWood

— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW —

• Book: The Principles of Psychology by William James

• Book: Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg

• Past episode: 317: How to Form Habits the Smart Way with BJ Fogg, PhD

• Past episode: 665: How to Make Lasting Change – According to Science – with Katy Milkman

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