“The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
– Plato
My husband and I have noticed that our gym is more packed than it’s been—the January rush. By February it usually gets back to normal. There’s a myth out there that 21 days is all it takes to build a new habit, but health psychology research by Phillippa Lally at University College London shows it can range from 18 to 254 days, with an average of 66 days.
Getting started, as Plato says, is important. Without a commitment to beginning, we’ll never get there. However, it’s just as important to not give up. If we approach a new habit with the mindset that it will take a while to develop, perhaps we will stick with it longer and not let a few days of backsliding derail us. Habits are a process, and it takes time to see small, incremental changes.
Getting started, as Plato says, is important. Without a commitment to beginning, we’ll never get there. However, it’s just as important to not give up. If we approach a new habit with the mindset that it will take a while to develop, perhaps we will stick with it longer and not let a few days of backsliding derail us. Habits are a process, and it takes time to see small, incremental changes.
How can you coach yourself to get started and, even when you don’t see results right away, keep going?
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