Roy Baumeister is a renown behavioral psychologist whose studies are revolutionizing our understanding of willpower. According to Baurmeiser, author of Willpower, the only sure fire way to stick to a new good habit is through tracking.
In one of his many experiments, Baumeister tracked individuals who were trying to lose weight. One group tracked their daily calories, either in a journal or using some software or app and also weighed themselves every day. The second group did not track their calories and weighed themselves once a week.
In the first group, twice as many individuals lost weight vs. the first group. The first group essentially doubled their success in losing weight by simply tracking calories every day and by stepping on the scale every day.
Tracking acts like an accountability partner. It forces you to confront, on a daily basis, the thing you are tracking. Tracking can be applied to any new good habit you are trying to forge.
For example, if you journal, or use some tracking system to detail your exercise activities (miles, reps, time spent, etc.), you double your chances of sticking to the exercise regimen.
Reading to learn every day, another Rich Habit, can be tracked by documenting how much time you spend reading each day.
You can even use the latest technology to track how much healthy food you eat each day, how many steps you take each day using Fitbit, or you can download apps to help you track any new habits you are trying to adopt.
My mission is to share my unique research in order to help others realize their dreams and achieve their goals. If you find value in these articles, please share them with your inner circle and encourage them to Subscribe. Thank You!
About Thomas C. Corley
Speak Your Mind