Pierre Poteau, Ph.D.

Building habits that last isn’t easy. Most people start with excitement but soon fall off track. The reason is simple: habits require consistency. The good news? Understanding the science behind habit formation can make it easier to stick with them.

The Science of Habits

Habits are formed when the brain builds new neural pathways. At first, these pathways are weak. With repetition, they become stronger and more automatic. Over time, the behaviors become ingrained, and you do them without thinking.

As the writer and researcher Charles Duhigg explains in The Power of Habit (2012), “The Golden Rule of Habit Change: You can’t extinguish a bad habit; you can only change it.” This rule means that, through repetition, habits evolve into something automatic, which is why consistency matters.

Start Small

If you try to change too much at once, you’ll likely get overwhelmed. The key to lasting habits is to start small, and this is one of the most common pieces of advice from habit experts. For example, if you want to exercise more, start with just 10 minutes a day. Once that becomes easy, you can increase the time.

As Atomic Habits author James Clear suggests, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems” (Clear, 2018). If you set a small, simple goal, you create a system that’s easy to repeat, which leads to greater consistency.

Small actions lead to small wins. These wins build momentum and reinforce your habit. The trick is to make the habit easy to start and then gradually build on it.

The Power of Rewards

Positive reinforcement helps your brain connect behaviors with rewards. When a behavior is followed by something rewarding, the brain wants to repeat it. The reward doesn’t have to be grand. Simple rewards, like taking a moment to appreciate your effort, can be just as effective.

“Behavior that is rewarded is repeated,” says B.J. Fogg, a researcher and author of Tiny Habits (2020). By reinforcing habits with small rewards, you make them more likely to stick.

Over time, small rewards help build consistency. The more often you reinforce the behavior, the more automatic it becomes.

Stay on Track

Consistency doesn’t mean perfection. Life will throw setbacks your way, and that’s okay. What matters is how quickly you get back on track. When setbacks happen, they don’t mean failure. They’re part of the process.

As the philosopher Epictetus once said, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters” (Epictetus, 100 AD). The faster you resume your habit after a setback, the easier it will be to stay consistent in the long run.

Tips for Building Habits That Stick

1. Start Small: Begin with something easy. Gradually increase as the habit becomes stronger. Small steps are more sustainable in the long run.
2. Be Consistent: Show up every day, even just for a few minutes. Small efforts add up over time.
3. Reward Yourself: Celebrate your small wins. Positive reinforcement strengthens the habit.
4. Track Progress: Use a habit tracker to see how far you’ve come. Tracking progress boosts motivation.
5. Be Patient: Setbacks are part of the process. Keep going, and get back on track quickly.

Conclusion

Building habits that stick doesn’t require perfection—it requires consistency. By starting small, rewarding progress, and staying consistent, habits become easier to maintain. As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and neither are lasting habits. Even the slightest progress is still progress. Over time, lasting change will happen. Consistency will lead you to success.

References

• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin.
• Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House.
• Fogg, B.J. (2020). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
• Epictetus (100 AD). The Discourses.
  

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