486. You’re Underestimating How Long It Takes to Form a Habit
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Jan 6, 2025
Discover why forming lasting habits takes longer than the commonly believed 21 days. Explore the power of accountability and community support in your journey to change. Learn about keystone habits, like making your bed, that set the tone for greater productivity. Embrace the challenge of prioritizing your goals before reaching for your phone in the morning. Uncover practical steps to transform your New Year resolutions into lasting behavior changes.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Realistic Habit Formation Time
Realize habit formation takes longer than planned, averaging 66 days, not 21 or 30.
Adjust expectations for a longer journey to avoid premature burnout.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Start Small for Habit Formation
Start with small, controllable habits to build consistency and momentum.
Avoid extreme behavior changes or gimmicks; focus on manageable steps.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Getting in Shape Example
The "get in shape" resolution involves multiple habits, from grocery shopping to workout recovery.
Trying to change everything at once leads to failure; focus on one key habit.
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The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Jay Papasan
Gary Keller
The book discusses the benefits of prioritizing a single task and provides strategies for overcoming distractions, building productive habits, and maintaining focus. It challenges common productivity myths such as multitasking and the idea of a balanced life, and introduces the 'Focusing Question': 'What's the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?' The authors also discuss time blocking, habit-building, and aligning short-term actions with long-term goals to achieve success in various aspects of life[1][3][5].
Make Your Bed
Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World
Admiral William H McRaven
Based on his viral commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin, Admiral William H. McRaven's book 'Make Your Bed' outlines ten life lessons learned during his Navy SEAL training. These lessons, such as starting your day with a completed task, measuring a person by the size of their heart, and not backing down from challenges, are designed to inspire readers to build discipline, resilience, and a positive attitude. The book uses personal anecdotes and stories from McRaven's military career to illustrate how these simple yet powerful principles can lead to a more meaningful and impactful life.
Psycho-Cybernetics
Maxwell Maltz
Published in 1960, 'Psycho-Cybernetics' is a classic in the self-help genre. Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon, developed this book based on his observations of patients whose inner attitudes and feelings remained unchanged despite successful surgery. He introduced the concept of 'self-image' and its profound impact on achieving personal goals. The book combines cognitive behavioral techniques with cybernetic principles to help individuals regulate their self-concept and achieve positive outcomes. Maltz's methods, including visualization, mental rehearsal, and relaxation, have been widely adopted by motivational gurus, sports psychologists, and self-help practitioners. The book emphasizes the importance of a positive self-image and the use of mental imagery to achieve success and happiness.
‘Tis the season for resolutions.
Chances are, you’ve hit the new year with a new resolution—something you wanted to change about your life. In this episode, Jay explains how you can actually stick to your resolution and make your new habit last.
Jay breaks down the research behind behavior change and habit formation, giving you three clear actions you need to take to succeed. Plus, he shares the single most impactful habit that he has seen people take on.
Challenge of the Week:
“Choose goals before phone.” When you wake up in the morning, don’t get on your phone first thing. Look at your list of goals. Take 60 seconds to remember what you are prioritizing. Then you can get sucked into the vortex that is your phone.
If you're a bold risk taker who wants to dream big and achieve a higher level of success in your life or business, visit the1thing.com.
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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.
We talk about:
How habit formation takes longer than most people think
The importance of accountability in habit formation
The ONE Thing 
