1: Sleeping as long as you want?
Waking up without an alarm clock?
This may sound like being on vacation, Tynan writes in his book Superhuman by Habit.
By making good sleep a habit, however, it can become an important part of your everyday life.
The benefits of good sleep are immense:
“Being alert and … continue reading
1: Of all the potential habits to focus on, “health habits are some of my favorites to work on because they have extraordinarily high payoffs,” Tynan writes in  Superhuman by Habit.
“Rather than improve just one area of your life,” he notes, “they tend to really transfer well to other areas.”
This is sometimes called a “keystone habit: One habit that leads to positive changes in other parts of … continue reading
1: “It’s a shame that everyone else is an idiot,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit.
Pause.
“Of course, it’s important to remember that to everyone else, you are the idiot.”
It all begins when we realize that being positive toward others is a habit we can develop.
Tynan tells a story about a disagreement he had with a cruise ship staff member after he felt he was charged … continue reading
1: How do you react when something bad happens in your life?
“Your knee-jerk reaction to bad events can be to only see, and to dwell on, the negative, giving you a biased view that can affect your mood and paralyze you from acting,” Tynan writes in his book Superhuman by Habit.
When you think about positive, healthy habits, chances are your brain immediately focuses on work and productivity … continue reading
1: Last week, we explored how “triggers” can help us build new habits.
What is one of the best triggers to build new habits? Your existing habits.
In fact, when done right, you can create a habit chain, Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit: A Guide to Becoming the Best Possible Version of Yourself, One Tiny Habit at a Time.
“A very good practice,” he notes, “is to … continue reading
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: 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: “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
