Aristotle once said that we are what we repeatedly do. We may often feel out of control of our habits—especially around office birthday cake—but we are the masters of our behavior, not the other way around. And because of that truth, we’re capable of changing our behavior when we discover a habit that no longer suits us. It isn’t always easy but behavior change is…
The word “motivation” is very popular online these days. You can find “motivational” videos on YouTube, “motivational” posters on Instagram and even “motivational” articles on blogs. But what exactly does that word mean? Over the past century, with the rise of factories and organizations, there’s been a deeper focus on the concept of motivation. What drives an individual to work in a particular manner? Scientists,…
What makes you change your behavior? If you’re reading this, odds are you want to develop a habit or change a behavior. Maybe you want to improve your concentration because your performance at school has been suffering. Or you’re not happy with the diet you’ve been following. Whatever the change may be, the question is this: What made you want to change? People always look…
Take a look at your immediate surroundings right now. What do you see? Are you in an open office, surrounded by people and distractions? Are you in your bedroom, going between staring at this screen and staring at another one? Do you ever find it hard to focus on things you want to do in places full of distractions? You may not be consciously aware…
James Clear has dedicated much of his life to studying the psychology of habits. In his book Atomic Habits, he explains that the secret to changing your behavior for the long-term is not about sudden, sweeping changes. It’s instead about making small, incremental changes to your lifestyle. Not only is it easier to do, you’re more likely to stick with those changes for life. Fabulous…
I am sure you have heard the adage that a leopard never changes its spots. But is it true? The cornerstone of self-improvement is that behavior change is realistic and possible for us all. In fact, the capacity for behavior change may just be part of us. Any time that you repeat actions over and over they become ingrained habits. This can be a wonderful…
We all want to have good habits. In a perfect world, we'd be fully in control of our wants and needs. We'd get up extra early, work out, eat our vegetables, and floss every time without fail. We wouldn't need to worry about changing our behavior because there'd be no behaviors we'd need to change! Unfortunately, life is nowhere near that simple. We give into…
According to Dan Ariely's book, Predictably Irrational, we have a puzzling quirk. It’s time for a coffee break and you’ve decided to walk past Starbucks and into a local café. You spy two coffee shops next door to each other and each has a sign featuring a daily special. The first shop, The Grind, features a “steamy cappuccino with vanilla bean and cinnamon.” The other…
