Anytime you want to establish a new behavior, fill out this simple formula:
After I have [existing habit], I will [new habit].
For example: “After I have brushed my teeth in the morning, I will do 20 minutes of yoga.”
Hundreds of scientific studies show that people who plan this way are about 300 percent more likely to achieve their goals1.
And the reason it works so well is that it forces you to turn vague intentions into specific algorithms.
You remove the cognitive load of continually deciding when to do the behavior.
And instead, you simply execute the algorithm whenever the situation arises.
Give it a try — I’m sure you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can change your behavior!
Footnote
- Get Your Team to Do What It Says It’s Going to Do by Heidi Grant