How setting goals and forming habits go hand in hand
When we link our daily choices to something bigger, a goal that excites us or the values we care about, we’re much more likely to stay consistent and see results. Whether it’s having more energy, boosting focus, enjoying a fuller life or simply feeling stronger every day. Setting meaningful goals gives our wellness journey direction and purpose.
Back this up with healthy daily habits like exercise, smart nutrition and science-backed supplements, and you’ve got the perfect foundation to achieve your goals now and for decades to come.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
James Clear, Author of “Atomic Habits” [1]
While some of us love mixing things up and being spontaneous, others thrive on structure. So, here’s the good news. You don’t need to be an elite athlete or in the military to build great habits. It’s not about willpower, personality or luck. Behavioral Scientists and brain experts have been studying habits for decades and there are plenty of proven ways to make them part of your everyday life. So, stick to science for habits that stick.
Let’s start by looking at how your daily habits can help you reach your goals.
“All big things come from small beginnings”
James Clear, Author of “Atomic Habits” [2]
Achieve big goals with small steps
Breaking up big goals into smaller “sub-goals” is a great way to avoid overwhelm, and help you stick to the smaller habits needed to achieve your goals.
However, an interesting study [3] from 2017 found that while having small “sub-goals” in the early part of your journey was very motivating and helpful, focusing on your bigger goal becomes more important the further along you are.
So in the later part of your journey you need to shift focus and think big, not small. Of course, this doesn’t mean you stop doing your daily habits, they’re vital to your success, but to stay motivated and on track, focus on your bigger goals.
“Goal pursuit is actually dynamic … what motivates us changes, so the structure of your goal should change accordingly.”
Huang Szu-chi Huang, Associate Professor [4]
How to bring healthy habits into your daily life
What is a habit?
A habit is when a behavior is so automatic, you don’t even need to think about it. You don’t need to make a decision. You just do it. Or, for a more scientific explanation …
"A habit means connecting a situation you often encounter (a cue) with an action you usually take. These connections help create impulses that push us to do the usual action without thinking."
Professor Benjamin Gardner, Professor in Psychology, MSc Behavior Change Programme Lead [5]
Many people think it takes 21 days to form a habit. But, this popular myth isn’t actually true. A study [6] by Dr. Phillippa Lally and colleagues in 2010 discovered that, on average, it takes people 66 days to form a new habit. And, there is a big difference in individual timeframes, anywhere from 18 days to 254 days.
So, it seems we’re all quite different when it comes to forming new habits, and 3 weeks just isn’t enough for most of us. But, over time, your habit will start to happen more easily and require less effort.
How to make habits simpler and easier
There are loads of studies on habit formation and goals, with some common findings. Here are some of the key, science-based habit hacks from experts to help kickstart your habit journey.
6 ways to create a habit from a Behavior Scientist, Dr. Brian Jeffrey Fogg PhD
Dr. Brian Jeffrey Fogg PhD is a Behavior Scientist at Stanford University, and Author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything”. He has some great advice to help you create your own habit-forming superpower! [7]
1. Just start!
Embrace the simplicity of just starting! Once we’re over the hump, it’s often easier than we expect to just keep going. If you’re in motion, you tend to stay in motion!
2. Stay positive
It’s really important to feel positive about the change. So, don’t set yourself on a guilt trip if you fall back, help yourself feel positive and get back on track.
3. Redesign your environment
Basically, you want to make good behavior easy, and bad behavior hard. So, put your gym shoes next to your bed for your morning run. This make the habit easier to do and serves as a visual cue or prompt to get you going.
“You have to design the behavior into your life to make it easy to do. Be motivated, make the change easy, and make a habit prompt to succeed. Never blame yourself – it’s the system you need”.
Dr. Brian Jeffrey Fogg PhD, Behavior Scientist at Stanford University, and Author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything”
4. Group tiny habits (also known as “habit stacking”)
Small habits are easier to do. And, they can work together so that you have to do both. A great example is leaving your Liv Essential supplements right next to your toothbrush to make sure you brush and take your supplements every day.
5. Think about your community
It’s vital to have support when you’re making changes, especially to your health and lifestyle. So having like-minded people around you is key. So, is your community ready to thrive with you? We are.
6. Reward yourself
Be your own cheerleader! Even if it’s just a “Good for me!” every time you take your supplement. Positive reinforcement makes you feel good and eager to repeat a habit.
“It’s not repetition that creates a habit, it’s the emotion you feel when you do it”
Dr. Brian Jeffrey Fogg PhD, Behavior Scientist at Stanford University, and Author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything”
3 ways to support habits from a Neuro Scientist, Dr. Andrew Huberman
Dr. Andrew Huberman, PhD., is a neuroscientist and professor in the Departments of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. He looks at how we can train our brain to help us stick to habits.
1. Start with “linchpin habits”
A linchpin or foundational habit is something you enjoy doing. It kickstarts your day and makes other habits easier, especially those you find harder to do. [8]
“If you feel successful doing a habit, even a small one, it will have ripple effects. Without much effort, this feeds into how you view yourself.”
Dr. Andrew Huberman, PhD neuroscientist and Stanford Professor
2. Visualize a habit for success
In “The psychology of habits, the annual review of psychology”, Wendy Wood and Dennis Rünger show that if you go through each step of a habit in your mind, then the chances of you doing it go up. You’re using “procedural memory” to set your neurons up for the execution of that habit. [9]
3. Try “task bracketing”
Set clear “start” and “end” points around a habit so your brain knows when it’s time to switch on and off. For example, doing the same short routine before a workout (filling your water bottle) and after (stretching). This helps your brain lock in and automate the behaviour so it becomes more likely to stick, even when you’re tired or distracted. [10]
“Habits can put behaviors on autopilot so we don’t have to go through the exhaustion of making decisions and using self-control.”
Gretchen Rubin, Author of “The happiness project” [11]
Consistency is essential
If you want to achieve your goals and reap all the rewards of daily habits, then consistency is key. Every small step you take adds up to big change.
Taking Gut Essentials every day, for example, feeds your gut microbiome to improve digestion within a week. You’ll experience less bloating, reduced heartburn and stay regular.
Over time, however, your good bacteria will thrive, boosting your immune system and mood. So, you’ll not only have better digestion, you’ll also feel happier and more balanced overall. That’s the bigger goal.
Daily habits help you reap long-term rewards
Move Essentials is clinically-proven to naturally nourish and protect your joints. And, with consistent use over a year, will significantly increase your Bone Mineral Density (BMD). And, your bones will just keep getting stronger the longer you take it. So making this powerful Nordic supplement a part of your daily routine will add up to a stronger, more resilient and unstoppable you.
With Meno Essentials as part of your daily routine, your peri- and menopause symptoms will ease, and your body will strengthen from within. Meno Essentials helps calm hot flashes, brain fog, and mood swings while also supporting bone density, heart health, and long-term vitality. Getting back in balance and feeling like yourself again is the ultimate reward!
Every journey starts with a small step. And grows with daily habits. What could be simpler than taking your daily Liv Essentials supplements?
How a subscription helps you stick to your habit
If you want to lock in the long-term benefits of taking supplements, then consistency is key. And, automaticity (making a task routine) is one of the best ways to succeed in maintaining a new behavior. [12]
Having a Liv Essentials subscription will help you create a healthy habit loop, ensuring you never run out and can take the 'thinking' out of your wellness routine.
Plus, shipping is free and a subscription saves you money. So, you’re not just buying a product; you’re buying peace of mind, consistency and success.
The best way to create a good habit is to automate it so you never have to think about it again.
James Clear, Author of “Atomic Habits” [13]
Start using daily habits to reach your health and life goals
Use all these easy habit hacks to make supporting your gut, brain, joint and bone health a regular part of your morning routine. Just like brushing your teeth or drinking a glass of water. With Liv Essentials as your new, daily habit, becoming stronger, more resilient and happier are all goals you can reach. With consistency the rewards are exponential. Just take the first step!
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Lao Tzu, Chinese Philosopher
10 essential facts about habits
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On average, it takes 66 days to form a new habit. [14]
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Around 40% of our regular behaviors are habits that happen in the same context almost every day. [15]
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Habits are automatic. Our brains use less conscious deliberation and working memory to make them happen. This frees up our thinking power for other tasks. Scientists call this “neurological efficiency”. [16]
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Doing a behavior gets progressively easier. You only have to maintain motivation until a habit forms. [17]
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Habit formation is more likely when your behavior is linked to an existing routine or stable context, and when they are repeated frequently in that context. [18]
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If you take away friction and make habits super easy, you’re much more likely to succeed.
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Automating a habit, like having your Liv Essential supplements delivered to your door every month, is a great way to help you stay on track.
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Your habit is up to three times more likely to succeed if you use “habit stacking”, like pairing brushing your teeth with taking your daily supplement (based on P.M. Gollwitzer's "implementation intentions", 1999).
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Making a habit visible is a great way to trigger you to do it. [19]
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Small habits can lead to big change. Taking just one Move Essentials capsule daily will increase your bone strength exponentially over time.
Questions about forming habits
Q.
What's the easiest way to start a new healthy habit?
A.
According to science, there are many ways to kickstart new habits and make them stick. But, perhaps the easiest one is to just make the action you want to take visible. So, if you want to go to the gym, put your gym shoes out, right next to your bed. If you want to eat more fruit, put a fruit bowl on your kitchen counter. And, if you want to benefit from a health supplement like Liv Essentials every day, then put them somewhere you’ll see them. On your desk, or bedside table. Then, you’re far more likely to take them without even thinking.
Disclaimer
This blog post is purely informational and does not imply any evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration. This blog post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases, nor should it substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.
References
[1] https://jamesclear.com/habits
[2] https://jamesclear.com/habits
[3] https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/step-step-sub-goals-source-motivation
[4] https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/focus-small-steps-first-then-shift-larger-goal
[5] https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/new-study-challenges-pop-psychology-myths-about-habits
[6] https://www.metalearn.net/content/files/docs/How-20Habits-20are-20Formed.pdf
[7] http://robertglazer.com/elevate-podcast/bj-fogg-stanford-tiny-habits/
[8] https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/the-science-of-making-and-breaking-habits?timestamp=3694
[9] https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417
[10] https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/the-science-of-making-and-breaking-habits
[11] https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/6-questions-habits-happiness-guru-gretchen-rubin
[12] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/automaticity
[13] https://jamesclear.com/habits
[14] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674
[15] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140808111931.htm
[16] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5508938/
[17] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3505409/
[18] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33405284/
[19] https://jamesclear.com/choice-architecture