1: Think about a negative habit.

Typically, something triggers it.

“Stress triggers overeating or gambling, waking up might trigger smoking, or boredom might trigger wasting time online,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit.

You can use this insight to power new, positive habits as well.

“Why not use such a powerful reality of the human experience to your benefit?” Tynan asks.

For example, you wake up every day. You … continue reading

1: What is the effect of showing smokers graphic warnings on cigarette packs?

When doctors are asked this question, “In general, they believe that the images will decrease smokers’ desire for a cigarette and motivate them to quit,” writes Kelly McGonigal in her terrific book The Upside of Stress.

Actually, studies show the warnings have the opposite effect.

“The most threatening images (say, a lung cancer patient dying in … continue reading

1: You’ve decided to meditate twenty minutes a day.

To implement this new habit, you decide you will sit down and meditate every other day.

Sounds reasonable, right?

Unfortunately, you have likely set yourself up for failure.

“You’ll get the greatest compliance,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit, “by maximizing frequency and minimizing intensity.”

The best strategy? First, make it a daily habit. Second, reduce the time it takes.… continue reading

1: What do you do when the battery turns red on your phone?  You recharge it.

Yet, many people who are tired and overworked just trudge forward.

Which begs the question, “Why do you think you can force yourself to run well on empty?” Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram write in their book The 5 Gears: How to Be Present and Productive When There is Never Enough Time.

“People … continue reading

1: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky once said.

And in most areas of life, this is true.

“It’s better to try and to fail than to not try at all,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit

One area where Wayne’s statement is not true? Habit formation.

“If you are not going to follow through with a habit,” Tynan reasons, “it is … continue reading

1: What’s the difference between waking up early and being an early riser?

Or, eating a healthy meal and being a healthy eater?

What about getting some work done and being a productive person?

Waking up early, eating a healthy meal, and getting some work done are good things.  Certainly.

These are things you do.

Describing yourself as an early riser, a healthy eater, or a productive person shifts focus … continue reading

1: So what exactly is a habit?

Yes, it is an outfit a nun wears, Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit: A Guide to Becoming the Best Possible Version of Yourself, One Tiny Habit at a Time.

But, more importantly, “it’s an action that you take on a repeated basis with little or no required effort or thought,” he writes.

The key part of the definition? The second half … continue reading

1: “If I was going to reach my goals, something would have to change,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit.

“I went to sleep at random hours late at night and woke up in the mid-afternoon. My vehicle registrations and inspections were always delinquent, sometimes by years. I was consistently late to almost everything,” Tynan writes.

“The lengths of time by which I procrastinated on important things could be … continue reading

1: It was November of 1988, and Terry Looper was on his way to Las Vegas.

Terry owned 10 percent of the company that was about to be sold.

“Once the papers were signed, I should’ve been on top of the world,” he writes in his book Sacred Pace: Four Steps to Hearing God and Aligning Yourself With His Will.

“I was not just a millionaire as I’d always … continue reading

When we arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” —Marcus Aurelius

1: “The first hour of our morning sets the tone for the entire day,” Sahil Bloom writes in his book The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life.

Sahil writes: “Thoughtful movement and nutrition during that window will make … continue reading