Forming a habit

FORMING A HABIT:

Habits have a lot to do with brain chemistry and everything to do with psychology. If we do something enough times, the brain will adapt to fit it. Left to our own devices, we will follow things that make us feel good, and avoid the things that make us feel unpleasant. Even when we know something like exercise (adding discomfort) or dieting (removing comfort) will help us more in the long run, your current brain chemistry will do anything to get you to stick to your routine. This is where willpower comes into play.
On a brighter note, habits naturally become a lot easier to follow through with the longer you stick with them. Someone who goes out running every day for a year won't even feel the need to be motivated to keep going out.

"To grow BIG.....

START SMALL"

All habits take time to grow. At the start to something new, it's natural to feel excited. The most common mistake people make at the beginning is by taking on too much, too soon. Even if you're feeling really motivated or anxious for change, a more gradual habit will be much easier to stay true to.
For example, if you're wanting to go out running every day and want to ultimately run for 45 minutes each morning, trying starting with 10 minutes. At first it may seem like you're selling yourself short, but it will seem a lot more manageable than the full amount for the times when you need to be motivated. Of course, you can do the full amount on days you're feeling up to it.

Once you start very small, you'll be able to build up the habit as your motivation for the activity increases. This should be done in small, non-threatening increments. For instance, if you started out going for a 10 minute run each morning, you should try pushing it up to 15 minutes after a week, adding 5 extra minutes onto your total until you reach the end goal. By keeping the increases small and gradual, you'll be able to give yourself the time to adapt.

If you feel difficulty in starting a habit, there's a very good chance you don't naturally see enough pleasure involved in the experience. Luckily, for the vast majority of beneficial activities, there are plenty of ways you can see something positively. Finding the joy in something will make you enjoy the experience more, and this will make you feel more motivated to keep up with it.
For example, many joggers report getting a "runner's high" after running for a while. Exercise can be a naturally pleasurable thing once you get the hang of it. Other ways you could improve a jogging situation would be to bring music or a running partner along with you.
If you're studying a topic for school or work, you should try to acknowledge what things are interesting in the given subject you're working on.

No matter how motivated you are right now, there are going to be times when the goal slips your mind. Posting reminders of the habit you want to learn is a good way to keep your mind in the right spirit. Write a note on your calendar about it, or include a post-it note next to your computer. Because habits are best learned when they're daily, try including the notes in places you'll probably go past every day.
If you have a cellphone with a built-in alarm clock, one thing you can do to remind yourself of your habit is to record a voice note where you tell yourself to follow through. Set your phone to play this voice memo when you wake up. That way, the first thing you'll hear in the morning is a direct, customized reminder to work on your chosen habit.
Remember the adage: "Out of sight, out of mind." You want to get the opposite of this.

Nobody is perfect. However, when we're trying to stick with a new habit, it can feel devastating to relapse or lose your winning streak. Many people who give up on forming good habits do because they lose motivation for keeping up the effort once they've slipped up. Some dieters will let themselves binge eat after slipping once because they feel they've already failed. Embrace an occasional slip-up as part of the process, and don't let it bring you down. The bigger picture is the most important thing.