Do you ever feel like there is a gap between the person you are and the person you wish to be?
Do you often find yourself struggling to achieve your goals, no matter how hard you try?
It’s a common experience, but it doesn’t mean you’re at fault.
Change is hard, especially when it comes to changing well-established routines and habits in our brain.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at routines and habits, how they form in our brain, and how we can use this knowledge to change our behavior and achieve our goals.
The Jungle of Your Brain
Imagine your brain as a dense and lush jungle.
Every time you make a decision or take an action, it’s like moving through an actual jungle.
It’s difficult and requires a lot of energy. But the brain hates expending energy, so it came up with a trick – all our actions and behaviors leave paths in the jungle of our brain.
As we repeat an action or behavior over and over, the path becomes more pronounced and turns into a street, and eventually into a highway.
The more established these highways are in our brain, the more comfortable and effortless they become to traverse.
This is why we tend to continue doing what we’ve always done – it’s easier, familiar, and comfortable.
Routines and Habits
To understand how these highways are built, we need to distinguish between two things: routines and habits.
A routine is a sequence of actions that we carry out in the same way every time because it has worked out well for us in the past.
For example, we cook our favorite dish using the same ingredients and cooking them in a certain order because we like the taste of the result.
Routines are executed by a wise planner in our brain, which is slow and analytical and responsible for strategizing and mental calculations.
On the other hand, habits are basically a sequence of actions that we carry out without thinking about them because we’ve done them so often before.
They feel much easier because they are rewarding and a great response to a situation. A habit is set in motion by a trigger, which can be a single thing or an entire situation that gives our brain the signal to start the behavior or action.
Habits are executed by an impulsive toddler in our brain, which responds to our immediate desires and hates hard work.
How to Change Your Habits
Now that we understand how routines and habits form in our brain, we can use this knowledge to change our behavior and achieve our goals.
Changing habits can be difficult, but it’s not impossible.
Here are some tips on how to change your habits:
Start small
Instead of trying to change everything at once, focus on one small habit at a time.
This approach makes it easier to succeed and build momentum.
Once you’ve successfully changed one habit, you can move on to the next.
Identify triggers
Pay attention to the triggers that set off your habits.
Triggers can be internal, like emotions or thoughts, or external, like a specific time of day or location.
Once you know what your triggers are, you can start to change the habit loop by replacing the old habit with a new one.
Use positive reinforcement
Reward yourself for making progress towards your goal.
Positive reinforcement can be as simple as giving yourself a pat on the back or treating yourself to something you enjoy.
This will help you stay motivated and create a positive association with the new habit.
Be patient
Changing habits takes time and effort.
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up or miss a day. It’s important to keep trying and to be patient with yourself.
Eventually, the new habit will become automatic and feel natural.
Remember that every small step counts and that progress is more important than perfection.
Conclusion
Changing our behavior and achieving our goals can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.
By understanding how routines and habits form in our brain, we can start to change our behavior one small step at a time.
Remember to start small, identify triggers, use positive reinforcement, and be patient.
With time and effort, you can achieve your goals and become the person you want to be.
FAQs
Q: Why is it difficult to change established routines and habits?
A: Our brain creates pathways in response to our actions and behaviors, and the more we repeat them, the stronger those pathways become.
This makes it easier and more comfortable for us to continue doing what we’ve always done.
Q: What is the difference between routines and habits?
A: Routines are a sequence of actions that we carry out in the same way every time because it has worked out well for us in the past, while habits are a sequence of actions that we carry out without thinking about them because we’ve done them so often before.
Q: How can we change our habits?
A: We can change our habits by starting small, identifying triggers, using positive reinforcement, and being patient.
By doing so, we can replace the old habit with a new one and eventually make it automatic.
Q: What is a habit loop?
A: A habit loop is the process that our brain goes through when it executes a habit.
It consists of a trigger, a routine, and a reward. Identifying and changing the habit loop can help us change our habits.
Q: What is positive reinforcement?
A: Positive reinforcement is a technique that involves rewarding ourselves for making progress towards our goal.
This helps to create a positive association with the new habit and keeps us motivated.
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