Habits are not just something you do every day. 

While it’s true that habits are repeated behavior, regularly doing something is not enough to be considered a habit. 

The psychology of habits explains that habits are the specific actions one automatically does in particular situations. Moreover, it should: 

• occurs repeatedly
• triggered by a specific cue
• occurs with little to no conscious thought.

Why build habits?

Habits determine your trajectory in life. 

While setting goals is essential, our habits set what we do and who we become. Plans allow us to envision what we want but do not necessarily equip us with the necessary tools to arrive there. 

On the other hand, habits allow the compounding of small, repeated actions that will eventually yield significant changes. 

How do habits work?

A recent study suggests that a three-part neurological loop exists at the core of every habit: cue-routine-reward.

A cue can be any trigger that causes the routine — location, emotional state, or thought.  

Routine can be any physical or mental action triggered by the cue.

The reward is the positive reinforcement that continues to drive the habit pattern. 

Where do you start?

There isn’t one formula for changing and building habits. Different triggers drive each person’s habits, so the specifics of diagnosing and changing them differ from person to person. With time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped. 

Here are five simple tips that can help you in creating new habits:

Establish and commit to your why

A habit is an action done repeatedly with little or no thought. Unlike routines, which are uncomfortable and require the active application of effort, habits are part of our daily life. 

In creating new habits, one must first establish them as a routine. From there, the amount of time one would take to develop it into a habit varies. It may take you 21 days, or 66, or even more.   

It is crucial to recognize your why in this process because it won’t get formed independently. Establishing and committing to your why and how this habit is essential to you helps you stay on track and motivated.

Think big, work small

Thinking big allows you to anticipate growth. However, a grand vision does not necessarily entail grand actions. Starting small can be your first step. 

Starting and working small entails less energy, making the task more manageable. It allows you to build your momentum incrementally. Habits are not formed overnight but are products of gradual change. The more you do it, the better you’ll be able to become at doing it.

Keep it sustainable

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Stick with realistic goals. Unreasonable goals, when unachieved, may leave you disheartened and unmotivated. 

Habit formation is a time-taking process. Give yourself time to get used to it. More than discipline, it takes patience to stick to a routine and ultimately to a habit. 

Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit, once said, “The key to victory is creating the right routines.”

Commit to easily adaptable routines. That way, you can practice the habit more and incorporate it into your daily life.

Get ready to fail

Habits require a lot of repetition. In creating a habit, it is essential to keep practicing and give yourself grace for failing. 

When you develop habits, expect that it won’t be easy. You may have to face a lot of failures before successfully turning the practice into a habit. 

Failures are part of the process, and slipping off the tracks is normal. However, don’t let these failures hinder you from bouncing back. 

Allow yourself to make mistakes from time to time, consider them as humbling moments, and carry on. 

Leverage on small feats

Wins create momentum. By focusing on daily successes, one tends to get inspired and do better. 

As James Clear, author of the award-winning Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, wrote, “We all want better lives for our future selves. However, when the moment of decision arrives, instant gratification usually wins.”

Small wins make us feel good, especially when we’re stressed or discouraged. You could use this experience to fuel yourself in pursuing your goal. 

Celebrate these small victories and reward yourself. It doesn’t need to be something grand. It could be buying yourself the food you’ve been craving or watching that movie you’ve been putting off. 

To summarize, goals help you visualize where you want to go, but they’re not very good at helping you get there. Instead, building habits is the key to achieving your goals. If you want to build a habit, start small and stick with it. Reward yourself on small wins and allow yourself to fail once in a while but bounce back stronger.