Building Habits That Stick
Identify Your Tendency
Approximately 25% of people abandon New Year's resolutions within a week, with the rate rising to 50% after a few months, often due to poor planning and an inability to replace old habits, prompting habit expert Gretchen Rubin to emphasize the importance of identifying one's habit-formation tendency.
Apply a Strategy of Distinction
In this video lesson, habit expert Gretchen Rubin explores personalized habit formation strategies based on distinct personality traits, such as Lark vs. Owl and Marathoner vs. Sprinter, helping you understand your unique approach to solidifying new habits.
Practice the 4 Pillars of Habit Formation
In her video lesson, habit expert Gretchen Rubin outlines effective strategies for forming good habits through monitoring, scheduling, accountability, and prioritizing foundational habits that enhance self-command, emphasizing that change requires a structured approach rather than sheer willpower.
Adopt the Foundation Habits
Habit expert Gretchen Rubin emphasizes that forming new habits can be easier by making foundational lifestyle choices—such as healthy eating, adequate sleep, regular exercise, and decluttering—that enhance self-command and create optimal conditions for habit formation.
Manage Others’ Tendencies
Great managers meet their team members where they are by understanding their habit tendencies—Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels—enabling effective habit formation and fostering collaboration, patience, and reduced resentment within the team.
Overcome Habit Formation Failures
Habits can have a dark side, but according to Gretchen Rubin, self-compassion during setbacks is key to overcoming bad habits, as understanding the tension between your present and future selves can help you align with your true values and learn from mistakes.
Treat Yourself!
Habit expert Gretchen Rubin emphasizes that "treats," which are self-given comforts without justification, can enhance self-command and support habit change, encouraging individuals to compile a list of healthy treats while being mindful of their choices.
Even when we know what it takes to be successful, we sometimes falter under the weight of longstanding habits. Changing for the better isn’t just a matter of commitment; it’s a matter of understanding how habit formation works. Best-selling author and habit expert Gretchen Rubin invites you to take the first steps in planning for a better future supported by healthier habits.
Learning Objectives
- Identify your habit tendencies.
- Use "strategies of distinction" to improve teamwork.
- Tap into the "4 pillars of habit formation."
- Overcome setbacks.
- Use positive reinforcement to spur your endeavors.