How to Create Powerful Habits that Stick

This past weekend, I spent some time away with family, completely unplugged from my digital devices.

During the break, I spent some time thinking about what I’m working towards, why it matters to me, and what needs some adjustment.

I found it particularly convenient that the long weekend occurred right at the start of a new 90-day period of the year, which gave me the opportunity to reflect on my progress thus far this year. I’ll be doing my major planning and goal-setting this coming weekend.

Side note: Does anyone else sometimes wish all months started on a Monday, had the exact same number of days, and 4 or 5 complete weeks instead of ending on a midweek day?

Anyway, I digress…

Having recently finished reading The Perfect Day Formula by Craig Ballantyne, I decided to try out some of the tools in his Perfect Day kit for part of the reflection process and found them really helpful overall.

The tools include setting a long-term vision, creating a set of personal rules, setting goals, and putting 5 specific pillars of transformation in place to achieve your desired outcomes.

One of my favorite parts of the book itself was the section on habits (go figure).

Setting a vision and goals are great, but until we become the kind of person who achieves those goals, we’re always going to fall short. The way to become that person is to create powerful habits.

In the book, Craig lays out a seven-step process for creating habits of steel. Since a lot of you will be going through your own 90-day goal-setting and planning process in the next few days, I decided to share the process with you.

Seven Steps to Create Powerful Habits that Stick

Step 1: Figure out what matters most to you and focus on it.

Step 2: Identify the steps required to achieve your desired result and create a set of personal rules that eliminate temptations.

Step 3: Break each new habit down into a list of action steps to make it easy to get started.

Step 4: Get ready the night before.

Step 5: Remove all obstacles, temptations, and distractions beforehand.

Step 6: Take massive action and reward yourself for doing so.

Step 7: Notice your results, learn, and improve for next time.

Finally, remember that every time you execute your new habit, you not only score a mini-win for today, but you make it easier to follow through again tomorrow. In other words, by skipping the habit, you exponentially affect your chances of success in the long run.