How Habits Shape Our Future
From the moment we rise to when we lay our heads to rest, our day is governed by habits—both good and bad. These habits, no matter how trivial they might seem, play a pivotal role in determining our future. In the words of Aristotle, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." As millennials, faced with an ever-evolving world full of choices, understanding the power of habits can be our most potent tool in crafting a future we desire.

The Long-term Impact of Habit Formation & Daily Habits on Our Success Trajectory
Each habit, be it the act of reading every night or the compulsive need to check one’s phone first thing in the morning, gradually paves the path for our future. A study by researchers at Duke University found that about 40% of people's daily activities are performed each day in almost the same situations. It underscores that our daily actions, most of which are habits, significantly influence our life trajectory.
Consider James, an aspiring entrepreneur. In his early 20s, he formed the habit of dedicating an hour each day to learn about market trends. This might seem minor, but over the years, this translated to a profound understanding of the market, positioning him years ahead of his peers. The action of daily learning, over time, had a compound effect—making his venture a success.
Micro Habits: Small Steps Leading to Monumental Change when Building New Habits
Big changes start small. A classic case in this arena is the "2-minute rule" popularized by James Clear in his book "Atomic Habits." The rule posits that any new habit should take less than two minutes to complete. The idea is to make the starting process so easy that one can't say no to it.
I, for instance, wanted to lead a more active lifestyle but struggled with dedicating a chunk of my time. I started with a micro habit: 2 minutes of stretching every morning. Slowly, those 2 minutes transitioned into 10-minute workouts, which then became an hour of fitness training. It’s now been 3 years where I have not missed a week of workouts, have run half-marathons and am training for the London marathon —my journey began with those crucial 2 minutes.
Harnessing the Power of Visualization to Bolster Habit Adherence
Visualization isn’t merely about daydreaming of success but grounding oneself in the reality of achieving it.
Sports psychologists have long promoted the power of visualization. A study from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation compared people who went to the gym with those who carried out virtual workouts in their heads. The result was astonishing; the muscle strength of the group that engaged in mental exercises increased by almost half as much as those who did the physical activity.
Another fascinating experiment from Harvard Medical School had participants play a simple five-finger piano exercise. One group practiced for 2 hours a day for 5 days. Another group merely visualized playing the exercise. At the end of the study, the group that visualized showed almost as much brain restructuring as the one that physically practiced.
The science is clear: visualisation works.
As a Marathon Runner, I often use visualisation as a tool to mentally prepare myself for the more challenging elements of marathon: runner’s wall, heels… getting up in the morning! Instead of dreading it, I can mentally rehearse conquering that hill, feeling the strength in your legs, the rhythm of your breathing, and the exhilaration of reaching the top. Over time, this mental rehearsal can diminish anxiety and boost confidence, allowing your body to perform closer to its peak potential on race day.
A Look into Habit Tracking App & Tools and Their Effectiveness
The digital age has presented us with a myriad of tools to track our habits. Apps like "HabitBull" and "Streaks" have become immensely popular.
But do they work?
According to a study by the University College London, habit formation takes 66 days on average. These apps, with their reminders and streak counters, can be beneficial in ensuring consistency during this critical period. The gamification element that generate a streak is a concept used across a number of platforms: gaming, language learning - and others. It works and given we always carry out phone around, it can help ensure that we keep on top of our habit formation.
Melanie, a millennial aiming to enhance her productivity, dabbled with "Todoist"—a habit tracking and to-do list app. With its intuitive interface and reminder system, she was not only able to keep track of her tasks but also her habits. Within months, her productivity soared, and she attributed much of her success to the consistent habit tracking facilitated by the app.
Don’t fancy paying for an app? No problem.
The are alternatives, especially if you are looking for Habit Tracking Apps for Free. And the thing is - it doesn’t need to be an App.. It can be a notebook, an excel document, a google sheet - whatever you are most comfortable with. Ultimately, what’s important is that you are able to easily access teh document, it’s always somewhere obvious, so that it is at the forefront of your mind.
Final Thoughts
Our habits, whether consciously formed or unconsciously adopted, have profound implications for our future. They can either steer us towards unprecedented success or into the depths of mediocrity. Being mindful of them, understanding their impact, and harnessing their potential can be our ticket to a future brimming with promise and achievement. As the adage goes, “The future depends on what you do today.” In essence, it depends on our habit formation.
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