How to Make Good Habits Last

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

24 May 2008 11:59 AM

I've heard various friends say that it takes three week to turn a behavior into a habit.

The stages of forming a habit:

1. Precontemplation. You have a vague sense that you want to make a change. Maybe you're not sure where or how to start. Maybe you make a lot of excuses why you can't change. This is a good time for a list of pros and cons. Why do you want to change, and why will it be good for you? What's holding you back?
2. Contemplation. You have a firmer sense that you want to make a change. You intend to do something... you're just not quite ready to do it yet. This is a good time to do some research into how to make the change -- and how to make it last. This is also a good time to test drive your change (like try a new exercise program or diet for a day or two).
3. Preparation. You are ready to start working. You are ready to commit to making the effort for a long time -- at least those crucial three weeks of forming a habit. This is a good time to look at your schedule and make sure your new habit will fit. This is also a good time to tell friends and family about your plan.
4. Action. Time to put your plan into action.
5. Maintenance. By this point, your daily routine doesn't feel like work. Your new habit has truly become a habit -- and you miss it if you skip a day.

I've used this technique to write my first novel. A writer I admire proposed that you could write a novel in just three months -- simply by writing three pages every day. So I gave it a try. The first few weeks were the hardest. I skipped days here and there, and complained a LOT about having to do it. But as time went on, I found the pages adding up. Having fiction time in the day became part of the routine and I did start to miss it if I missed a day.

And in the end, I had a completed novel. It's probably not going to see the light of day (or the bestseller list), but I'm proud of myself for making fiction writing a habit!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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