How can changing my habits affect what I achieve in my life?

How can changing my habits affect what I achieve in my life? I have just watched a great TED talk by Marco Badwal. In it he discusses how habits shape who we are and what we achieve in life.

Habits make up around 40% of our daily behaviours. They are automated behaviours that we repeat over and over, and that we perform subconsciously. We have performed the task so many times that we don’t need to pay attention to it anymore.

There is a habit cycle that begins with a cue, or trigger. This leads to the habitual behaviour, and it results in a reward. Dopamine is released in the brain, which results in a feeling of pleasure. Because of this reward, we repeat the same actions every time we encounter the cue.

We can change our behaviour by starting a new habit. After a couple of weeks, we can see new networks of neurons in the brain connecting together weakly. As we repeat the habit, we see the connections get thicker, and eventually become surrounded by a layer of fat called myelin. This allows our brain to be more energy efficient when it is performing the habit.

The brain cannot distinguish between good and bad habits. Any repetitive behaviour that leads to dopamine release will lead to stronger connections in the brain. That is why it is so important to be aware of our subconscious habits. Using mindfulness to become more aware can allow us to break down bad habits and even treat addictions. We need to decide which behaviours we want to focus on, and which we would prefer to let go because they don’t help us.

We can make these changes, but the best advice is to do so using small steps. This way it is much more likely that we will keep up our new behaviour for long enough to become a subconscious habit. It is very important to be consistent. Taking small steps today to change our habits can change the course of our lives, and what we believe it is possible for us to achieve. So, make sure to cultivate the habits that are good for you, and which will move you closer to your goals!

Project 365

I set up this website after deciding that I want to build a more creative life for myself, so I can give up my job and be in control of my own destiny.

I have set myself a goal of publishing an article on my website every day this year, to document my journey from employment to self-employment.

The name I chose was Project 365 because I see this as a year that I have dedicated to learning and self-development, as I countdown to freedom. It started on 1st January 2021, so I have 304 days to go!

Why not check in on a regular basis to see how I am progressing, and what I have discovered?