There are only 2 rules of behavioral change that foster changes that stick.
People say that change is hard. I firmly believe that change can also be easy, if you let it be.
And it also helps to know the universal rules of behavioral change.
Understanding these 2 simple rules can help you make changes that stick or introduce new, lasting habits. You can also understand why a change you’d attempted, failed before and how to correct it.
These 2 rules of behavioral change apply to everyone who wants to change the way they act – including you!
Here’s what you need to do for changes that stick:
1. Make the new behavior EASY
When you want to make a change, that often means you need to add to your daily routine a new way of acting or behaving.
If the new behavior is difficult:
- you’ll DO it when the motivation is high and
- you’ll STOP it when the motivation is low.
But, if the new behavior is easy, you’ll do it irrespective of how motivated you feel. You’ll do it both when the motivation is high and when the motivation is low.
2. Link the new behavior to something FAMILIAR
Every behavior needs a trigger or a cue – something to give you a signal that you need to behave in a certain expected way. And for the new behavior to stick long enough to become a habit, you need to make it familiar.
The best way to build a new habit is to link it to something that is already familiar. In other words, the best cues you can rely upon are your existing habits, because they are familiar.
Again, if the behavior is unfamiliar:
- you’ll DO it when the motivation is high and
- you’ll STOP it when the motivation is low.
But, if the behavior is familiar, you are more likely to do it irrespective of how motivated you feel.
So, remember:
EASY + FAMILIAR = LASTING CHANGE
Think of one new habit you’d love to build and ask yourself:
- How can you make the new behavior easy?
- What familiar habit you can link the new behavior to?
Change can be easy, if you let it be.
