11 Tips For Forming A New Habit

Jake Dixon, Locker Room Founder & CEO

We’re one month into “New Year, New You”! How are you doing? Are you crushing it or has it been a little harder than you thought it would be? As I’ve said before and like with any new habit, seek progress not perfection. And just for good measure here are some helpful tips to get you on track or back on track to forming that new habit!

  1. First, mindset check! Do you actually want to develop this habit or accomplish this goal? Do you still really want to become a morning person or does that secretly sound so awful? Do you actually want to give up coffee or do you just feel obligated to because it’s trending?

 

  1. Know that there’s no one-size-fit all for forming habits, and the important thing is finding out what works for you.

 

  1. Think about a time when you WERE successful in creating a habit/reaching a goal and reflect on what you can learn from that. What was the key to success? What kept you on track?

 

  1. If you’ve tried and failed to make this a habit in the past, get to the root of the problem. What REALLY created the obstacle? Fear of rejection? Too much money? Too much fear?

 

  1. Be even more concrete than you think you need to be. Take your original goal, and make sure it is as specific as it needs to be. “I plan on doing six, four hour Open Houses each month. They will be on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5pm.” Make sure the goal is specific and measurable.

 

  1. Make the habit as easy as possible. For instance, if your goal is to wake up at 5:30 each morning, some strategies would be: Gradually wake up 5-10 minutes earlier every few days until you reach the desired time. Set the coffee maker to auto brew 10 minutes before you wake up. Place your alarm clock across the room so you have to get out of bed to shut it off.

 

  1. Pair the habit you’re trying to form with an activity you really like or have no trouble doing. Again, if your goal is to wake up earlier: Buy some new tea flavors and only drink them when you wake up early. Burn a favorite candle in the morning. Or if it’s a fitness goal reward yourself with new running shoes or piece of equipment only after you’ve hit a milestone.

 

  1. Think about what will probably get in your way ahead of time and come up with strategies for how you’ll handle that. How will you handle rainy days? What if you get sick?

 

  1. Join a group or search for apps that provide guidance or accountability.

 

  1. Get imaginative about what accountability means. What will happen if you don’t create this habit or meet this goal? Be on the same page with your accountabilibuddy about what accountability means, and how you choose to be held accountable.

 

  1. And finally, don’t beat yourself up when you screw up — because you will. It does not have to be all of nothing. If you fall off, you can always get back on!