A fresh start

“The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
– Steve Jobs

It’s that time of year when the parking lot at the gym fills up with the well-intentioned. Usually sometime in late February, and almost certainly by March, the lot goes back to its usual volume.

It’s not a lack of conviction. It’s a human condition.

The new year inspires us to begin new habits, start fresh, make a change. But before a new habit is fully engrained – it takes at least 2 months, according to experts who study behavior change [How Long Does it Actually Take to Form a New Habit? (Backed by Science) – James Clear] – our newly minted determination meets the realities of our day-to-day challenges. Before we know it, we’re back to the same old same old.

Most of us have started a new habit that didn’t last. What’s the difference between those that fail and some that actually do take hold?  Here are some tips, according to experts:

• Take baby steps – break down big behaviors into smaller ones
• Create a ritual – do it daily
• Attach your new habit to an old one
• Reward yourself for reaching milestones
• Forgive yourself and quickly start again if you miss
• Find an accountability buddy – help them and you also help yourself

Here’s to your fresh start for 2024! You can do it!

Our thought leader partners at 1st90 have tapped into the science and power of habit to make learning on the job at scale sticky and more engaging. Their award-winning mobile learning platform brings features of some of the world’s most popular consumer apps (like those for getting fit or learning a new language) into the corporate learning space. Ask us about it or learn more about 1st90 here.

One great thing for 01.02.24 – How to Build a New Habit: This is Your Strategy Guide (James Clear)