Here’s the scenario: you know you want to change but you don’t know how. This tale is as old as time but it never stops being relevant. Bad habits are hard to break. After all, there’s a reason we fall into them so easily. Habits are comfortable and comforting; they keep us safe, so we think, and make us feel placated. Unfortunately, they do very little to spur our personal growth.
It’s true that changing bad habits is difficult but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. In fact, with the right guidance and action plan, you can learn how to change bad habits and unlock a whole new world of possibilities.
Why We Fall Into Bad Habits
Everyone has habits they participate in on a regular basis; some are good and some aren’t. We fall into habits of any kind because we get a dopamine hit from doing them. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter in the brain that acts as the “reward center.” In addition to playing an integral role in movement, memory, behavior, and cognition, dopamine also orchestrates how we perceive pleasure, reward, motivation, and our overall mood.[1]
Simply put, doing things that give us dopamine hits make us feel good! Sure, we know that some of our actions are bad to some degree (health consequences, financial repercussions, legal issues, etc.) but the rewards seem to outweigh the costs – until they don’t.
The highs are high but the lows can be very low. Eventually, the lows may make you question if the highs are worth it. That’s when you know it’s time to change.
How to Change Bad Habits
If you’re serious about breaking free from your bad habits, you need to know how to change. Consider these 10 steps as the starting point to inspire transformation.
1) Identify why you want to change
Knowing you want to change is a fine start but it isn’t specific enough. To really see growth, you need to figure out your “why.”
- Are you unhappy?
- Are you not achieving your potential?
- Are you falling short of expectations?
- Do you have health issues?
- Are you experiencing financial stress?
Determine your “why” and this will be your source of motivation for when times get tough.
2) Prepare for some degree of discomfort
Change is hard and it’s supposed to be. If it was easy, everyone would do it and there would be no need for life-changing programs like Neothink. Alas, that is not the case.
To experience real change and lasting transformation, you have to be willing to go through some discomfort. It will be temporary but you need to go through it to show yourself you can come out the other side a stronger, more capable person than you were before.
3) Have a plan
Knowing you want to change isn’t enough. You need to get specific about the steps you need to take to get there.
If you don’t know what they are, a personal growth coaching program can be a great asset. Remember, now is the time to learn more about yourself and prioritize your own personal development.
4) Identify why you want to change and what’s holding you back
Step 1 was figuring out your reason for change. Now is a good time to go back to that but also to determine why you haven’t done so already.
There’s a reason you haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Are you scared? Is the fear of discomfort too strong? Are you worried about failure? Do you not know how? Getting specific about what has prevented you from changing thus far will help you be more successful in your future pursuits.
5) Set goals
Now is the time to set goals so you can turn what felt like a pipe dream into a reality. The goals you set should be realistic, practical, strategic, and incremental. These are things you should actually be able to achieve in the not-so-distant future.
Don’t try to go from 0 to 60 right away. Set goals you can reach so you don’t get discouraged and don’t try to do it all all at once.
Remember, this life we’re living is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re in it for the long haul and when you sign on to living according to Project Life, that long haul could be longer and even more enjoyable than you ever thought possible.
6) Identify your obstacles
This is similar to step 4 but it’s not exactly the same. Step 4 was about the past but this is about the present. What exists in your current life that could hold you back from breaking these bad habits? These might be the same things that held you back in the past, such as old patterns you’re accustomed to; or they could be new obstacles you may encounter.
The key is to set yourself up for success so failure is not an option.
7) Lay out an action plan
Having goals is important but knowing how you’re going to reach them is just as necessary. For example, do you want to build wealth and achieve financial freedom? It’s not enough just to want it. You need to know the specific steps you need to take to become successful. How will you become an entrepreneur? What’s your business plan? Having a plan of action will help you get there.
8) Replace bad habits with good ones
So often, many of us want to break bad habits but we do so without a replacement. This can leave you feeling like you’re swimming without a life preserver, and in the open ocean, that’s pretty scary.
You need to replace your old bad habits with new ones that will support your goals. For instance, if you have a tendency to impulse purchase, every time you have that urge, put that amount of money into savings. If you have a major sweet tooth and tend to reach for cookies, swap that out with a piece of fruit. Do something that will interfere with the old behavior to disrupt the way it becomes habitual in your brain.
9) Get a support system
When the going gets tough, the tough get a community! Don’t discount the value of surrounding yourself with people to keep you honest. Find either an accountability coach or a group to keep you on your toes. Having someone else to answer to can make all the difference in motivating you to stay the course.
10) Go back to your “why”
Lastly, always return to your initial reason. Don’t get lost in how hard it is; return to how worth it it will be. Discomfort is temporary but lasting change is forever.
You deserve to live an amazing life. If you’re ready to see real change and step into the life you’ve always dreamed of, Neothink is here to help. Join The Neothink Society today to start seeing change tomorrow.
[1] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine
