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

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