What Does It Take to Create a New Habit?

My guess is that you have heard the adage that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. I haven’t researched the source of that legend, but my own experience and work with hundreds of coaching clients has taught me something else.

It takes just a nanosecond to create a new habit. It is a simple, quick choice to take action. PERIOD. Once you commit and take action, your habit is reality. And that’s ALL it takes. Anything else you feel that you need to change is a distraction.

Why do we believe that it is hard to form new habits? Why do we make it harder by believing a story that it won’t be a permanent habit until we last for 21 days? If you will simply choose to change the routine that you want in your life, and start doing it, you’re there. That’s it.

When helping people form a habit, I get questions. Let me answer some of them for you.

Question: “Do I need to understand why I have failed in the past before I can change?”

Answer: No. All you need to do is take action.

Question: “Do I need to know my personality type so that I can change?”

Answer: No. All you need to do is act.

Question: “Do I need to write down my plan and affirmations and envision my change?”

Answer: No. All you need to do is act.

Question: “Do I need to develop more ego strength?”

Answer: No. You just need to do it.

You are free to do whatever else you want to do if you feel that empowers you to succeed. You can wear a green sock hat, count to 1015 every morning, or even sprinkle gold glitter in your hair if you think it will make you more likely to succeed.

But wake up to reality. All you MUST do to form a habit is change your behavior; simply take the action. When you bring it down to that level of simplicity, you have no more “reason” to procrastinate and fail. Go do it now, and it will be done. It is a miracle!