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Ever wonder why transforming your habits feels so ridiculously hard? You’re not alone. We all have things we want to change — exercise more, eat healthier, learn new skills. But actually making those changes stick is frustratingly difficult, no matter how motivated we feel at first.
Why is that? New research reveals an interesting reason that might surprise you.
We’ve Been Thinking About Habits All Wrong
The common view is that habits are automated behaviors ingrained by repetition. Want to wake earlier, journal daily, or practice guitar? Just grit your teeth and force yourself to do it consistently until it becomes routine, right?
But as researchers are now discovering, the reality is more complex. Habits aren’t just manufactured through sheer repetition. They also involve your environment and community.
This means if you want to build better habits, you can’t just white-knuckle it alone hoping something sticks. You need environmental and social support.
The Key Elements for Sticking to Good Habits
Based on multiple habit studies, there seem to be three key elements for actually making changes last:
