What is your most important habit to guarantee success in 2023?
Ask any professional in the field of personal development and they’ll tell you that there is no greater predictor of success than your habits.
So, as we’re setting our goals and building out our business plans for 2023, we need to take a serious look at what habits we really need to drill down on. Because I probably don’t need to tell you that habits are a hard thing to make stick.
But there’s a science to forming lasting habits and it comes down to – like all other things when goal setting – specificity! In this blog, I’m going to tell you about a recent study that unlocks the secret to forming a successful habit and then we’re going to see what area you really need to zone in on.
The Science of Habits that Last
Recently I was at an event talking with world-class coach and bestselling author Alan Stein about habits. Alan told me about a study which showed that the greatest factor in whether or not your habits stick is the number of new habits you try to implement at once.
If you only try to introduce one new habit and go all in on it, you have an 85% chance of making it last.
But… If you try for two new habits at a time, your odds go down to 40%.
And three new habits at once? An abysmal 3%!
That’s right. Your chances of success go down over 50% for the second new habit, and beyond that it falls off into a New Years fantasy.
So, What Does This Mean?
2023 is going to be a year that either makes agents or breaks them, so you need to start getting your habits down RIGHT NOW. And because I deal in the business of proven success, I’d recommend you go where your chances are the highest – the 85%.
That’s right. I’m saying you need to pick one new habit, implement it right now, and then pick up another one in one month’s time.
This begs the question…
What is Your One New Habit?
The answer is up to you. Just remember that this is the bedrock of your wellbeing and mindset. Go back to this past blog about what you’re no longer willing to tolerate. What has been holding you back and what habit would fill that gap?
I recommend that you start with your morning and your nightly routines.
If you’re low on energy and feeling lethargic during the day, maybe it’s important to get your body moving. Go for a ten-minute walk or dedicate yourself to doing 20 push-ups first thing in the morning.
If you can’t focus and find yourself getting overwhelmed, there’s nothing proven to be more effective than meditation. Whether you use an app for guided sessions, join a class, or do it on your own, it doesn’t matter!
And I know we talk about diet, exercise, and meditation as a trio that goes together, and you’ll get them all there, but I’m asking you to single out the most important for YOU. Because once you get it down, the others will follow a lot more easily.
Write it Down
Now here’s the last thing I want you to do…
Clear out a space for this one new habit every day and put it in your schedule. Then write it out on sticky notes and put them some place you’ll see it when you’re in the right location. If there’s a chair you plan to meditate in, stick a note on it. I put notes on my bathroom mirror to say affirmations.
It’s all about making this habit stick and doing it NOW!
So, I’ll ask one more time and I want you to take the time to answer seriously… What is your most important habit of 2023?
