Last Updated on September 11, 2023 by Lori
Do you ever feel like your goals are unattainable, no matter how hard you try? It could be because you’re overlooking one of the most powerful tools for your success: micro habits. Micro habits are the best way to reach your goals in life.
We are creatures of habit. But when the time comes to build new, better habits – we often fall down. Why? Because sometimes these habits are such big changes to our current routine that they feel overwhelming.
We give up because they are too big and too hard.
Enter micro habits!
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How do we create habits?
The process of building any new habit is made up of four things:
- Cue: This tells you when to do the action
- Craving: This provides the motivation for the new behavior
- Response: This is the action or behavior itself
- Reward: This satisfies your craving and teaches you to continue performing that response
Without all four components, a behavior will never become a habit.
Micro habits provide an easier way to create new habits.
What is a Micro Habit?
Break any new goal into its smallest possible component. Just the tiniest piece.
That’s a micro habit.
Say you want to start drinking more water – the old “eight glasses a day” routine. You know you need to hydrate, but you forget to drink regularly.
What’s the smallest piece of that goal? Perhaps you struggle with that much water, or it’s hard to remember throughout a busy day.
Could you set a goal to drink 4-8 ounces of water right when you wake up?
That’s a far more manageable task, isn’t it?
That’s a micro habit.
Micro habits may seem insignificant at first, but these tiny actions add up to create big results in the long run.
These small changes are easier to implement and have a better success rate than big, complex goals. And as you establish one micro goal, you add a second, and so on.
Pretty soon you’ve created a huge change in your life. Step by step, you are propelled toward achieving your big goals.
Micro habits are defined as small, simple actions you can take every day that’ll help you achieve big results.
The Simplicity Habit
why Are micro habits So Impactful?
Reason #1: Micro Habits Are Easy to Do Consistently
When it comes to forming habits, consistency is key.
Creating a micro habit requires less effort than long-term goals, making it easier to stick with over time and turn into a lasting lifestyle change.
Because they don’t take up a lot of time and energy, it’s easier to commit to them for the short and long term. They easily become a part of your routine.
Reason #2: Micro Habits Are Measurable
Creating micro habits can help you stay on track and measure your progress.
When you make small, incremental changes to your daily routine, it’s easier to see how far you’ve come. That helps keep you motivated.
Micro habits work really well with habit trackers. Once you complete the micro habit, you check off a block on the habit tracker. You can create your own visual display of the progress you make along the way. It’s a great way to inspire continued action.
Reason #3: Micro Habits Build Momentum
Once you start forming micro habits and begin seeing the results, it will create a sense of momentum that will help propel you toward achieving your long-term goals.
Many small micro habits can inform a bigger overarching goal.
Accomplish the little things and that can lead to accomplishing the bigger thing!
Reason #4: Micro Habits Are Flexible
Because micro habits are small, they can be tailored to fit any lifestyle or schedule.
This makes it easier for you to create the perfect micro habit for yourself and stick with it over time. They’re much easier to stick to than bigger and more complex habits.
Which sounds more doable – 1 minute of stretching, or an hour at the gym? Which are you likely to build into a consistent routine? A series of micro habits will build into that hour of exercise in a natural, easy progression.
Reason #5: Micro Habits Help You Stay Focused
Creating and sticking to micro habits can help you stay focused on the bigger picture.
Instead of getting overwhelmed by the amount of work needed to reach your goals, micro habits will help you break it down into smaller tasks and keep your forward momentum.
Small is easy and simple.
In fact, when you plan out your micro habits, do it while thinking of the bigger thing you want to accomplish.
For example, let’s say the big goal is to improve your health overall. Three micro habits that can feed into that overall goal include — drink a glass of water when you wake up, stretch for one minute each day, and add one vegetable to each meal. That’s easy.
Once you’ve got those micro habits consistent, add more. This is how you build and maintain good habits.
Reason #6: Micro Habits Increase Motivation
The feeling of accomplishment that comes with performing micro habits will help keep you motivated.
When you’re able to see your progress and the results of your actions, it will give you the confidence to take more action toward your bigger goals.
Build your success one micro-movement at a time. You can start a micro habit in the next 5 minutes and get it done. That’s a quick win. That inspires you to do the same thing again – and again.
Quick wins motivate you to keep going!
Reason #7: Micro Habits Improve Self-Discipline
Creating micro habits is a great way to practice self-discipline.
When you’re able to consistently stick with small changes, it will help you build up the willpower needed to take on bigger challenges and reach your goals.
And, it’s easy to be disciplined about something that’s not going to take up a lot of time or require a lot of motivation to do it.
Reason #8: Micro Habits Foster Resilience
The more micro habits you form, the more resilient you become.
When you’re able to stay consistent with small changes, it will help you become more resilient when facing bigger challenges or setbacks.
What you’re doing is building a body of evidence that supports your ability to commit to something and get it done. You benefit way beyond the positive results of completing your daily micro habit actions.
Reason #9: Micro Habits Reduce Stress
Creating micro habits can help reduce the stress that comes with trying to reach a big goal.
Taking on smaller tasks and measuring your progress along the way can make achieving your long-term goals less overwhelming.
You’re actually training your brain to react positively to new stimuli. Exercising the brain and expanding its capabilities and competencies helps build resilience and reduce stress.
Reason #10: Micro Habits Create Success
Creating micro habits is one of the most powerful tools for success.
By making small changes that add up over time, you can put yourself on the path toward reaching your biggest goals. It’s easier, and faster, and makes big goals far more achievable!
“If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you’ll end up 37 times better by the time you’re done.”
James Clear
Read More:
- Choosing and Using Micro Habits: 10 Tips for Real Results
- Do You Struggle with Self-discipline?
- 4 Easy Morning Habits That Will Improve Your Whole Day
- 10 Writing Prompts to Help You Set – and Achieve – Your Goals
Final Thoughts On Micro Habits: The Better Way to Reach Your Goals
Creating micro habits is the best way to achieve your goals because they are simple, manageable, and easy to add to your routine.
By taking on small tasks and measuring your progress along the way, you’ll be able to build up the skills needed to take on bigger challenges.
With consistency, dedication, and the right micro habits, you’ll accomplish more – faster, easier, and with less stress!
Use micro habits to reach your goals in life.
What micro habit will you put into action today?
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