Why changing your habit is painful?

As humans, we are creatures of habit, and changing our behavior can be a daunting task. However, changing habits is essential for personal growth, and with the right mindset and tools, we can achieve our goals. In a recent podcast on changing habits, several valuable insights were shared to help individuals improve their habits and behaviors.

To begin with, it was emphasized that changing habits requires developing new networks in the brain. The stronger the network, the stronger the highways in the brain. Therefore, the root cause of old behaviors needs to be understood to build new behaviors. For instance, if one is struggling with procrastination and wants to be more effective at work, it is crucial to identify what is causing procrastination. It could be a social media addiction, lack of sleep, medication, or stress caused by social media. Once the root cause is identified, one can work towards addressing it and building new behaviors.

Assessing the current situation is also an essential step towards changing habits. Starting small is recommended, as zero times to 5 days is a significant change. Too much change can create anxiety and drain our energy when we try to change so many things at once. It is a common pitfall to try and change too much too soon, which often leads to associating change with pain.

One of the main reasons people fail to change their habits is the lack of motivation. Once we get busier or fall ill, we often become anxious and depressed, and we don't have enough resources in our brain to deal with that. As a result, we go into a survival state, and our habits suffer. It is, therefore, important to pick goals that fit our personality and lifestyle.

The way out of this vicious cycle is accepting what is realistic. It is also helpful to write down the benefits of new habits and create a calendar or map to track progress. Rewarding oneself for achieving milestones is an excellent way to stay motivated. Additionally, creating a strong network through activities such as physical exercise is also beneficial.

In conclusion, changing habits is not an easy task, but it is possible with the right mindset and tools. It is important to identify the root cause of old behaviors, assess the current situation, and start small. We should also avoid the common pitfall of trying to change too much too soon and associate change with pain. Finally, we can create a strong network through regular activities and reward ourselves for achieving milestones. With these insights, we can all make positive changes in our lives and achieve our goals.