Top 5 Ways to Make Habits For Success Stick For Good
- Mar 1, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 19, 2024
Written by: Michelle Mercier, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Did you know that most high-performing entrepreneurs often credit their incredible success to basic mindset shifts and establishing the right habits? It sounds simple, but it’s really so powerful. If you can take all the steps you need to reach your goal and turn them into auto-pilot habits instead of a daily grind, you can remove obstacles and alleviate the mental load.
Essentially, you can get out of your own way!
Everything is available to you if you set your mind to it - you need the right strategy. Mindset shift and success habits are absolute game-changers if you want to set your path in the right direction and enjoy the journey along the way.
Where most people get tripped up is forming these habits realistically.
You’ve set great goals, and you can’t wait to get there. You’re clear on your mission...yet somehow, you feel blocked. I’ve been in your shoes, and I get it!
Here are 5 simple ways to set yourself up for success this time..it’s actually easier than you think!
1. Recognize that “old habits die hard.”
The power of habits is incredibly strong, including the habits that have already ingrained themselves into your life. You may have some habits that no longer serve you - but they are firmly rooted in your routine and unconsciousness.
If it’s taken years to grow them, it’s going to take some time to change them! Various studies show that it can take anywhere from three weeks to three months to disrupt an old habit and to cement a new one in its place. Remember, when you are forming new habits, you are also undoing the old ones - don’t underestimate that.
2. Fill the void with something positive
Have you ever decided to give something up that you completely enjoy - but you know it’s not good for you? Maybe you’d like to stop wasting $5 for that overpriced latte - or save the calories from all that dairy whipped cream.
But the truth is - it’s a fun routine to stop by the local coffee shop and grab your frothy sweet latte every day on your way to work. It’s a moment of comfort and pleasure that your brain has come to expect every morning.
Simply going “cold turkey” leaves a huge pleasure void in your daily routine - and it’s a void that your brain is looking to fill.
Trying to “tough it out” and being miserable leaves you vulnerable to throwing in the towel the next time you’ve had a rough morning, and you need a pleasurable experience to boost your mood. Has that ever happened to you?
Instead, fill the void with another pleasurable reward. Make your latte at home with lower-calorie options so that you can still enjoy a morning treat, get that positive moment while forming a new habit that moves you that much closer to your goal each day.
3. Don’t expect overnight results
Give yourself some grace when your initial efforts aren’t perfect. Remember, it’s going to take a while to rewire your brain!
There are going to be days where you fall short or regress. It is not an indicator of failure - it’s part of the natural process of forming new pathways in your brain so that eventually, your desired habit becomes the default way of doing things.
If you’re feeling discouraged because you started strong and then stumbled, don’t be. Think about any skill you learned - like playing an instrument, learning a sport, or developing a trade. Did you perform it perfectly right from the start? Or did it take a lot of practice to become skillful at it?
Also, stay flexible on how you execute these new habits. If you become so rigid in your expectations, you’re setting yourself up to be disappointed in yourself when life gets in the way.
For example, I committed myself to listen to an inspirational podcast each morning to set a positive mindset for a successful and productive day.
But I have two small children - and sometimes listening quietly to a podcast in the morning isn’t feasible...there’s breakfast to be made, snuggles to be given, meltdowns to be had. When life gives me unexpected chaos in the morning, I shift my “podcast time” to a quieter moment in the day.
This way, I still stick to my habit, but I give myself the flexibility to roll with the changes. If you can adapt and still achieve an acceptable variation of your desired habit, it will feel like a success and not a setback. And who doesn’t want that?
4. Make one change at a time
Trying to establish several high-performance habits all at once may be tempting because they all seem so important right now. Trust me. I’ve been there.
But adding in multiple radical changes to your already busy life may take more energy and focus than you can realistically give. You run the risk of becoming easily discouraged when the habits aren’t forming as quickly as you had hoped.
Instead, work on that one high-performance habit consistently, get some momentum by tracking your progress, and highlight your wins. Once that habit becomes a routine that you no longer have to think” about, then you can start with the next habit. Less frustration, more success… it’s a win-win!
5. Track your progress
There are no two ways about it: people who track their actions are more likely to achieve their goals. Tracking your habits keeps your intentions “top of mind” visually and also keeps you accountable - even if it’s only to yourself.
Tracking your progress naturally encourages you to celebrate your wins - boosting those “feel good” chemicals in your brain. Even if you promised yourself that you would start going to the gym every day - if you’ve made it to the gym 3 days a week, that’s still a win!
Sometimes we tend to focus on what we haven’t accomplished yet, but your brain needs positive reinforcement to celebrate what we have accomplished. If you can turn habit tracking into a positive exercise, your brain will begin to look forward to it.
Need a free downloadable habit tracker? No problem!
You don’t need expensive apps or fancy planners to keep you accountable. All you need is a simple visual habit tracker that you can post prominently in your office, at your desk, or somewhere in your home to give you accountability and positive motivation.
Grab your free printable habit tracker here and keep your goals in focus each day, even when life tries to pull you in different directions. This habit tracker helped me step into my power...and it can help you too.
Michelle Mercier, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Michelle Mercier is a Business Strategy Coach and the host of The Resilient Entrepreneur Podcast which debuted on iTunes at 15 in the Entrepreneur category and cracked the top 100 in other countries across the globe.
She has close to 20 years of professional experience and has worked with a wide range of different businesses – from nationally acclaimed non-profits to major corporations like PayPal.
Today, Michelle primarily works with entrepreneurs, small/medium businesses & executives to help them grow and maintain long-term success. She loves leveraging her years of experience and expertise to help bring individuals and companies to the next level.
