“From Monday, an hour of sport every day”, and after ten days it’s over. That’s rarely down to a lack of discipline. Big resolutions need a lot of energy and motivation, and both fluctuate. A tiny habit survives bad days too.
Small enough that you can’t dodge it
A good mini-habit is so small that no excuse takes hold: “one page” instead of “read 30 minutes”, “put your shoes on” instead of “go jogging”. The start is the real hurdle, once it’s taken you often carry on by yourself.
The formula
After [a fixed habit] I do [a tiny new habit].
Example: “After brushing my teeth I read one page.” The existing anchor spares you the daily effort of getting started.
Frequency beats size
What firms up a habit is frequency, not intensity. Every small repetition lays a track. So the bar may sit almost absurdly low at first, size comes later by itself.
The feeling afterwards
Celebrate the small success briefly, inwardly: “well done”. A good feeling right after the action anchors the habit more strongly than any plan.
How to begin
Choose a single tiny habit and a clear anchor. Templates in the Exercises for Habits & Focus.
General self-help impulses, no substitute for therapy or medical treatment. For lasting concentration or motivation problems, talk to your doctor. Helpline (Germany): 0800 111 0 111.