7 Steps to Forming Better Habits

Bad habits are so hard to break. And the good ones are even harder to form. Believe me, I get it!

One of the biggest patterns I had to personally break was eating junk food!

But, once I developed this 7 step plan, I realized how easily it can be done with a little willpower and good-old-fashioned determination.

Once we can change our habits, we can literally change our lives. However, once we shift our habits with these 7 steps, we have to show up for ourselves and stay consistent. Not perfect: consistent. (1% Better)

So, how do we start?

Step #1: Show Up

In order to create the new and improved you, you have to face the old/current habits you have. The first way you show up is by writing down what your typical day looks like.

This helps you first, show up for yourself and recognize that you do have patterns and habits, whether good or bad. Second, this helps you see the areas where you might be wasting some time.

Time wasters consist of anything that you binge an unnecessary amount of- things like social media. In my opinion, social media is more than likely a time-waster for everyone reading this.

In fact, social media is one of the most common time wasters for people today.

Now, am I saying to delete social media? Absolutely not. But, show up for yourself and notice when you are on it too much.

If you catch yourself mindlessly scrolling, you’re binging. Always remember that your time is SO valuable because you have the ability to control how you use your time.

Show up for yourself and take action!

Here are 3 habits to start with step #1:

Wake up before 7 am and take a room temperature or cold shower
Do some sort of movement or activity for 15 minutes
Write down your 3 MOST important tasks for the day

These three habits are easy to complete and keep up with. It all starts with you showing up!

Step #2: Set A Goal

The goal with this step is to develop a discipline through goal setting.

This journey is the start of something great for you. When you look at the most successful people in the world, what do they all have in common? An unbreakable discipline.

When you start to make physical or mental changes in your life, discipline is essential for long term success. Without it, you won’t keep any of the good habits you build.

So many people mistake motivation as the main “ingredient” for success. The issue with motivation is that it relies heavily on your emotions.

Think about it. When someone isn’t motivated enough to do something, they say, “No, I don’t feel like it.”

But discipline doesn’t care how you feel that day. Either you have it or you don't.

So, to create this discipline, create a simple goal to hit each day.

The examples below are fitness related, but this can be about anything. It could be a goal to read for 10 minutes a day. Stay off of your phone for an hour a day. Anything!

Here are some small fitness-related sample goals you can pull from to get you started:

100 push-ups a day
10,000 steps a day
10 minutes of stretching a day

Setting a goal will help you develop the discipline to be successful.

Step #3: Create Good Energy

Disclaimer- this is WAY easier said than done.

I personally consider myself to bring positive energy most of the time. That’s because I keep it simple!

Creating positive energy is something people overthink, but it doesn’t need to be that way.

Smiling, exercising, helping others when nothing is in it for you, doing chores without someone asking, or even buying a small gift for someone are all great ways to create this habit of bringing good energy to the table.

This stuff is usually labeled as “cheesy” or “try hard” to most, but the domino effect it can have on the people around you is astronomical compared to the effort it takes.

When you create good energy, your environment will start to shape itself. We are all addicted to spending time with people who bring us up, not bring us down.

Become someone who brings other people up and surround yourself with those who do the same!

For a successful step #3, try these two things:

Do one selfless act for someone in your life. This could be paying for their coffee or bringing a coworker their favorite snack. Make it genuine but keep it simple.
Say hello to someone you may not know that well. We have no idea what people are really going through. You have no idea how far a friendly smile or gesture could go!

To develop better habits and keep them, start with yourself by creating good energy.

Step #4: Start A Book

Reading is a tool that can do so many wonderful things for you, but is often underutilized because of how we were all forced to read in school.

Reading can actually slow you down, ease your stress, and help you learn more about anything you could ever want to learn about.

It also creates an entirely new perspective in your life. In fact, Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art is one of the books that shifted the way I thought and pushed me to start my online coaching business.

Although it felt like the author was yelling at me the whole time, it was what I needed to shut my inner critic up and really start creating something special.

The goal for you here is to find a book you can sit down and start reading for at least 10 minutes every single day. Trust me- I know it’s hard. I’m a slow reader and I hate doing things I’m not good at.

But, doing this we aren’t good at makes us a better person overall, and helps us develop better habits.

Here are my top four book recommendations for you:

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Atomic Habits by James Clear

If you really hate reading, look into audiobooks or even podcasts! Just surround yourself with things that make you grow.

Step #5: Eat A New Meal

Sounds easy, right? Let me dive into my reasoning behind this step.

Life is all about routine. We wake up, have our breakfast and coffee, drive to work, and so on. It’s way too easy for us to get stuck in the same daily routine, especially when it comes to the meals we eat.

This is especially true if you meal prep. I’m all for meal prepping, but try to change up the meal every week if you can!

In order to create a spark or stimulus in our bodies, we need to mix shit up!

There are so many different types of food out there that most of us have never even heard of, let alone tried. Americans especially tend to struggle with this by only eating “Americanized Food.”

Fun fact: our taste buds change every 7 years. So go try something you hated as a kid! Maybe some vegetables? You might actually like them now.

You can find thousands of recipes online, but here are my top three favorites “out of the norm” recipes:

Breakfast: Everything bagel sandwich with avocado, fried egg, and pepper jack cheese

Lunch: Gnocchi and shredded chicken with marinara sauce

Dinner: Cedar plank salmon with bell peppers and coconut rice

Whatever you eat, fuel your body for success. And apply this to other aspects of your life! Switch it up every once in a while and make this a habit.

Step #6: Learn Something New

Hitting a plateau is a very real thing.

Some of us just get so caught up in our everyday life and routine, we never try anything new and exciting.

I remember 2 years ago when I wanted to learn how to do a backflip. I knew I was physically able, but couldn’t get over my mental fears of hurting myself.

But, after hours of progressions, I finally got it! Doing a backflip seriously is like riding a bike for me now. The point I’m making with this is that we have to create a new stimulus every now and then in order to feel alive.

For some people, it could be skydiving. Making a new meal. Whatever it is, you can’t deny that humans are built for learning.

We’re experts at adapting to our environments in order to feel safe. The feeling of learning and performing a new skill is absolutely unbeaten!

For this step, I want to encourage you to do 20 minutes of research on anything you want. Just set a timer and go!

Here are three options you can choose from if you have no idea where to begin:

Anatomy of the human body
What is a caloric deficit?
How the body breaks down and absorbs food

We have so much knowledge at our fingertips- make it a habit to use it!

Step #7: Call A Friend

The phone really does work both ways.

Life is all about connection and reaching out. And this is something I really used to struggle with.

I had so much going on in my life, I used to never think about calling my friends or family. I was too busy with golf, classes, and trying to stay on top of my assignments.

I also used to tell myself that if they wanted to talk to me, they would. But I wasn't putting in the effort on my end either!

There’s a saying out there that you are the average of who you surround yourself with, and I believe that 100%. You are never alone in this life!

I promise you that your family and friends love to hear from you more than you can ever imagine.

For this step, I want you to build the habit by calling three friends or family members today for at least 5 minutes. Even better, facetime them.

This will allow you to reconnect with that person and clear your head of the stress of everyday life.

Life is way too short to not make it a habit to communicate with the people we love the most!

Now What?

I would suggest you take these 7 steps and do them over the course of one week. One step a day towards building AND keeping better habits for the rest of your life.

Once you complete step 7, you’re ready for the hardest part of your journey- consistency.

You need to implement these habits each day, but a little bit at a time. It won’t be easy, but make it as slow of a progression as you need to.

Remember, you have the ability to change your life at any moment in time. Staying aware of your daily habits help you check yourself so that you can KEEP these habits.

You have the power. You are worth it. You can do this!

Stay moving,

Austin

P.S. Below is access to a free habit tracker. Click the link here and it will take you to it!

7 Steps to Forming Better Habits

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