24 - Atomic Habits Chapter 5: The Best Way to Start a New Habit

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On this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 5: The Best Way to Start a New Habit by James Clear.
To make your habits stick, it's important to tie them to specific cues. The two most common cues are time and location. You can use implementation intention by pairing your new habit with a specific time and location. For example, "I will exercise for one hour at 5 p.m. at my local gym." Another strategy is habit stacking, where you pair a new habit with a current habit. For instance, "After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute." The key is to tie your desired behavior into something you already do each day. When implementing habit stacking, it's important to select the right cue. You can brainstorm a list of your current habits and everything that happens to you each day without fail. Then, find the best place to layer your new habit into your lifestyle by making your cue highly specific and immediately actionable. The more tightly bound your new habit is to a specific cue, the better the odds are that you will notice when the time comes to act.

Now find the best place to layer your new habit into your lifestyle.

Make your cue highly specific and immediately actionable: “After I close the door”; “After I brush my teeth”. The more tightly bound your new habit is to a specific cue, the better the odds are that you will notice when the time comes to act.

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