In 1960, Maltz published that quote and his other thoughts on behavior change in a book called Psycho-Cybernetics ... The book went on to become an
blockbuster hit, selling more than 30 million copies.
And that’s when the problem started.
You see, in the decades that followed, Maltz’s work influenced nearly every major “self-help” professional from Zig Ziglar to Brian Tracy to Tony Robbins. And as more people
recited Maltz's story — like a very long game of “Telephone” — people began to forget that he said “a minimum of about 21 days” and shortened it to, “It takes 21 days to form a new habit.”
And that’s how society started spreading the common myth that it takes 21 days to form a new habit (or 30 days or some other magic number). It's remarkable how often these
timelines are quoted as statistical facts. Dangerous lesson: If enough people say something enough times, then everyone else starts to believe it.
It makes sense why the “21 Days” Myth would spread. It’s easy to understand. The time frame is short enough to be inspiring, but long enough to be believable. And who
wouldn’t like the idea of changing your life in just three weeks?
How Long it Really Takes to Build a New Habit
The answer?
On average, it takes more than 2 months before a new behavior
becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. In Lally's study, it took anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit.
In other words, if you want to set your expectations appropriately, the truth is that it will probably take you anywhere from two months to eight months to build a new
behavior into your life — not 21 days.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that “missing one opportunity to perform the behavior did not materially affect the habit formation process.” In other words, it
doesn’t matter if you mess up every now and then. Building better habits is not an all-or-nothing process.
Seems like you need to start working on your NEW HABITS TODAY
Not January 1st 2021
If you read this and this made sense...and you are ready ...hit reply...let me know...let's get you going, let's get you
started
Your New Habits Can Start Today
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