4202: How to Create Habits That Stick - with Minimum Effort and Maximum Results by Paula Pant on Habit Stacking

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[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_02] This is Optimal Living Daily. How to create habits that stick with minimum effort and maximum results.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_02] You're home alone and you walk into a dark room. What do you do? You flip a light switch. Duh. But what if an electrician moved the location of that switch this morning? Would you reach for the new location? Nope, not yet. You'll reflexively reach for the old location until you break that habit, despite the fact that you know better. Why? Why? Habits are more powerful than memory or knowledge. Successful people use this to their advantage. Here's how.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_02] I want to wear sunblock daily, but when I leave home, I'm distracted. Do I have my keys, wallet, phone? Do I need a jacket? How's traffic? Sunblock is the last thing on my mind. There's a biological basis for this. Limited cognition. Our brains aren't equipped to monitor the weather, plan the best driving route, and remember the sunblock. We can only focus on a few things. This isn't laziness. This is how our brains are wired. Here's why that matters.

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_02] If we want to change some aspect of our lives, we need to stop relying on memory, motivation, and willpower. Instead, we need to create habits that stick. But how? How an unlikely, ordinary man shocked scientists with this habit. This story, told in my own words, is from The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg. In 1993, a man from San Diego named Eugene Pauley fell victim to a disease called viral encephalitis. It damaged the section of his brain that forms new memories.

[00:03:03] [SPEAKER_02] Eugene could still walk, talk, change clothes, and even cook. But he couldn't create new memories. He'd repeat the same sentence over and over, forgetting he had just uttered those words a few moments earlier. He didn't recall getting sick. He couldn't recognize his grandchildren. Eugene and his wife moved to a new house to be closer to their adult daughter. Eugene couldn't form new memories of the layout. His wife guided him everywhere. But something strange happened.

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_02] Despite his lack of memory, Eugene started learning his way around the new house. When he felt hungry, he'd open the pantry and grab a jar of nuts. When he felt bored, he'd walk into the living room and turn on the television. But when doctors asked Eugene to provide directions to the kitchen, he'd draw a blank. He couldn't explain how to get to the kitchen. He couldn't draw a map. What happened? As it turns out, Eugene didn't memorize the layout of his home. He developed habits which are stored in a different part of the brain.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_02] The brain develops reflexive shortcuts, habits, to preserve our mental energy. Habits trump memory and conscious thought. That's why we reflexively flip a light switch when we walk into a dark room. When we work with our brain's natural tendencies, we can create stronger, faster, more effective results. The best way to accomplish anything is through mindless, automatic, reflexive, ingrained habits. How to create habits that stick. Back to the sunblock dilemma.

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_02] When I leave home, my brain is occupied with dozens of distractions. I'm unlikely to remember to wear sunblock. Instead, I need to develop a habit. And this starts with finding a trigger or a cue. But how? Let's start with the current reality. I've already established two habits. I grab my house keys before I leave home. I wear sunblock when I hold the bottle. Great. How can I build on this? I can store my house keys next to the sunblock. I can't grab one without seeing the other.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_02] Soon, those two items, keys and sunblock, link together in my mind. One triggers the other. They're associated in my mind. And after a few weeks, applying sunblock is as reflexive as locking the door. Success. This may sound like a small victory, but building a successful, happy life is nothing more than a series of small victories that accumulate over time. Here's my challenge to you. What habit would you like to form? Flossing, exercising, meditation, reading? When and where would you like to perform these habits?

[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_02] Be specific. What routines are already established at that time and place? Now can you link this new habit to your established routines? Here's an example. Goal vague. I'd like to learn how to invest. Goal specific. I'd like to read one article about cash flow focused real estate investing every weekday evening before dinner. Great. Let's examine your current routines. I walk my dog before dinner. I read articles on my iPad. Okay, that's a good start, but you don't walk your dog before dinner.

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_02] You return home from walking your dog. What happens next? I put the dog's leash in a drawer. I wash my hands in the hallway bathroom. Then I go to the kitchen. Excellent. Let's brainstorm ways we can connect those dots. Idea number one. I keep my iPad in the dog leash drawer. Idea number two. I keep my iPad in the hallway bathroom. Or idea number three. I keep my iPad on the kitchen counter. Perfect. You're linking a desired new habit into an existing routine. See why that works?

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_02] This is how to create habits that stick. You might be thinking, who cares? You read one article a day. Big deal. But in four months, you'll read 100 plus articles. You'll have more judgment and confidence to make that investment, start that business, or launch that thrilling new project. That's not all. Over time, you'll develop more than just a reading habit or an exercise habit. You'll build a habit of developing habits. And that's the most effective way to convert your goals into results.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_02] You just listened to the post titled, How to Create Habits That Stick, With Minimum Effort and Maximum Results, by Paula Pant of AffordAnything.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_00] PinkPantheress here. Coach and Spotify are teaming up to bring music and style together. And they want you to be part of it. Grab your friends and head to the Tabby Tour, hitting cities around the country with live performances from special artists, exclusive experiences, and personalized products. And discover custom playlists on Spotify, built just for you based on who you are and how you listen. Live your story with Coach.

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_01] Learn more at Coach.com.

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_02] Ready to upgrade your PC? Shop now during the Dell Top Tech event and find the award-winning tech the experts trust most, like the Dell XPS 13 laptop. Study, work, and do more with a thin and light design, a vivid touchscreen, long-lasting battery life, and impressive performance powered by Intel Core processors. While shopping, you'll also find great prices on monitors and accessories,

[00:07:58] [SPEAKER_02] and perks like Dell Rewards, fast free shipping, and financing with flexible payment options. Visit dell.com slash deals. That's dell.com slash deals. Thank you to Paula. Paula is more typically narrated on one of our other shows, Optimal Finance Daily, so you can check out that podcast for more money tips from her and a bunch of different authors. Of course, listening to multiple of our shows is a great way to help us keep this one going as well.

[00:08:28] [SPEAKER_02] As she said, in just four months, you will have read over 100 articles if you follow that one-article-a-day habit, and I think an amazing habit to build. I know I've learned so much over the years. Hopefully you have as well, even if this is the first time you're listening. But back to the article, those tips and examples are great. People who study habits probably agree. If you can set up a trigger that's something you already do every day,

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_02] like brushing your teeth or getting out of bed in the morning, and then tie a habit to that trigger, that'll increase your odds of success for sure. It sounds really simple, but if you try it out and add that little cue into your current routine to work on adding a new habit, I'm sure it'll help. Definitely won't hurt. So let me know how it goes. Have a great rest of your day, and I'll see you tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.