Discarding Negative Habits

Discover methods to deconstruct the bad habits holding you back.

I discovered 30-day trials years ago. People who sell items online frequently provide free 30-day trial versions so that potential customers can try the product risk-free before deciding whether to purchase it. By the end of the test period, many individuals buy the product as they have gotten accustomed to using it. You can use a similar technique to condition a new habit or behavior.

The hardest part of any new habit is getting through the first month, especially the first few days. Once you make it through the first thirty days, it becomes much easier to continue as you've overcome inertia.

When considering changing a habit for good, we often psych ourselves out before we start. Believing we have to give something up for a lifetime is too overwhelming to even think about. Enter the 30-day test. Instead of committing to a permanent change, your goal is to make a small, temporary commitment.

Try out your new habit for just thirty days. After that, you're free to stop and go back to your old ways. It's only one month out of your life. That isn't so tough, is it?

Exercise every day for thirty days. Abandon television for thirty days. Wake up at five o'clock daily for thirty days. Consider each 30-day test as a fun and intriguing challenge. You're simply conducting a test to determine if you like it.

A 30-day trial still requires some discipline and persistence, but not nearly as much as a permanent change, as you can always see the end of the tunnel. You have a guaranteed escape route if things don't work out. Any sacrifice or loss you suffer is temporary. You're completely free to go back to your old ways on day thirty-one.

What happens when you successfully complete a 30-day test? Firstly, you will have gone far enough to make your new behavior a habit, making it easier to continue if you want. Secondly, you break your old pattern in that area, so your older habits won't wield as much power over your behavior.