Change of Human Habits Attitude and Willpower Is Possible
We can change, we can change a lot, and relatively fast
Oh, yes, we can. Let’s take a snapshot of two guys. Both of them are married, work in a day job and have three kids.
Guy #1:
He is slightly overweight. He gets sick about twice a year.
He has a couple of close friends, they live far away and they have a few interactions a year.
He earns about two average salaries and has no career ambitions. He took a few courses after university, because his employers made him to do so.
He lives in a small apartment with his not-so-small family and struggle to save 3–4% percent of his income.
Outside an immediate circle of friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers nobody has ever heard of him.
He learns only stuff related to his hobbies: computer and card games. After university he decided he was done with education.
Thank God, he has some spiritual life. He attends church community meetings twice a week. He prays every day about 10 minutes a day and from time to time read something spiritual.
He has a few good habits that appeared somehow spontaneously in his life, like a morning workout or morning prayer.
Guy #2:
He is fit. A black belt karate master told him he is in top 1% of population in regard to fitness performance. He got sick twice in the last 5 years.
He has dozen friends all over the world and dozens less tight relationships. He keeps in touch with his friends at least once a week.
He earns about 2.5 average salaries. He started a side hustle that provides additional 20–200% of his salary, depending on the month.
He lives in a new house (bought less than 3 years ago). He saves about 20% of his income.
Thousands of people follow him on social media. Tens of thousands people bought his books. His online articles got a few millions of views.
He is constantly learning all kind of things: personal development, online marketing, writing, business development, social media, copywriting, starting and maintaining a WordPress blog, habits development and many more. He has a few certificates for his day job and certificate of a digital coach.
He is also a member of church community, but he prays about an hour a day, read books of saints and study the Bible every day.
He has dozens of daily habits, a morning routine, evening routine, commuting routine and habit tracking routine.
Guy #1 is me 5 years ago. Guy #2 is me now (March 2017).
Yes, we can change substantially.
Three Ways to Change
BJ Fogg a doctor on Stanford University and a head of Persuasive Tech Lab there has a few decades in behavioral research. He concluded that only three things can change human behavior in the long term:
- Option 1. Have an epiphany
- Option 2. Change your environment (what surrounds you)
- Option 3. Take baby steps
How?
Take the first step and then another and another.
I highly recommend starting a gratitude journal as the first new habit you develop.
Gratitude has the power to rewire your brain from negativity to positivity.
It will take care — substantially — of your attitude. And this is huge.
“When the brain is positive every possible outcome we know how to test for raises dramatically.” — Shawn Achor, the author of “The Happiness Advantage”
So, everything in your life will automagically improve. I confirm that this gratitude approach works.
I started a gratitude diary a few weeks into my personal transformation and everything in my life — measurable and immeasurable — is better now (see the #1 and #2 Guys comparison above).
The Importance of Habits
In my opinion all three ways lead to change in habits. If you experience enlightenment or change your surroundings, you change your habits in the result.
Learn how to develop new habits: Infallible Framework for Habit Development
I also recommend James Clear’s blog. He has a plenty of great stuff about habits.
And to drive point home, my life’s transformation within 4 years: The Slight Edge Report: Year Four
Originally published in Quora.com.