⏱️ Time: Varies | 🎯 Difficulty: Intermediate | 📈 ROI: Compound Gain | ✅ Status: Active
Habit Formation
It takes an average of 66 days to form a habit (Lally et al., 2010). Not 21. The range is 18-254 days depending on complexity. Plan accordingly.
The Habit Loop
Every habit has three components:
- Cue → What triggers the behavior?
- Routine → The behavior itself
- Reward → What reinforces it?
To build a habit, design all three deliberately.
The Protocol
1. Start Embarrassingly Small
The goal is consistency, not intensity. Motivation fades. Tiny habits don’t require motivation.
| Goal | Wrong Start | Right Start |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise daily | 1 hour gym session | 2 push-ups |
| Read more | 30 pages/night | 1 page |
| Meditate | 20 minutes | 2 minutes |
| Floss | All teeth perfectly | 1 tooth |
The minimum viable habit: So small you can’t say no. Then expand gradually.
2. Stack On Existing Habits
Attach new habits to existing routines:
“After I [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].”
- After I pour my morning coffee, I will write 3 things I’m grateful for
- After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth
- After I sit at my desk, I will write my 3 MITs
The existing habit becomes the cue. No willpower required to remember.
3. Design The Environment
See Environment Design. Make the habit visible, easy, and obvious.
4. Track Simply
A calendar X. A habit app. A tally on paper. Anything that makes progress visible.
Don’t break the chain. Each completed day adds pressure to continue.
5. Never Miss Twice
Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is a new pattern.
Bad day? Do the minimum viable version. 1 push-up still counts. The chain survives.
When Habits Fail
Too hard: Make it smaller. You overestimated your willpower.
Forgetting: Improve the cue. Stack on something you never miss.
No motivation: Reduce to minimum viable. Motivation isn’t required for tiny habits.
Multiple habits at once: Stop. One habit at a time. Wait 30-60 days before adding another.
Success Metrics
- Adherence rate: 80%+ of days over 90 days
- Automaticity: “It feels weird if I don’t do it”
- Streak length: 30+ days
Make it small. Stack it. Track it. Never miss twice. That’s the system.