But the science behind it is remarkably simple

But the science behind it is remarkably simple: You just have to remem-ber to act how you'd like to be, consistently. And this is true even of remarkable-seeming feats.

— from Expanding Your Range (Growth/Change/Education/Learning/Habit) · Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change by Olga Khazan

In the book

A few deeper truths about habit have served me more than any single technique. Become the person, and the behavior follows. You can change your own traits by consistently behaving like the kind of person you want to be — acting your way into a new self rather than waiting to feel like it; pretend, if you must, until the pretense becomes who you are. Do not rely on willpower — design your world. The self is conflicted and willpower is weak, so rather than fighting yourself, arrange your surroundings to nudge you toward the behavior you wish you wanted; make the good thing the default and the bad thing inconvenient. […] Build habits by design, not willpower. First make sure you truly want the thing; then make the good ones obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying — and the bad ones the opposite; remove friction from what helps and add it to what harms; and design your surroundings to nudge you rather than relying on discipline you won't always have. Become the person you intend to be. Act like that person consistently until the act becomes the self; decide how you'll behave before the hard moment arrives; and use every clean slate — a new year, a new start — as a launch point for the habit you want. Trust the daily over the dramatic. What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while; automate the routine so your energy is free for what matters; and master the basics rather than chasing shortcuts. — Expanding Your Range (Growth/Change/Education/Learning/Habit)

Also belongs to

Related