Forming habits that stick

Identity based goals

Heading into the new year can be a time to reflect on how we want to move forward or what we want to achieve. Often this requires starting new routines, or habits - which can be challenging to maintain over the year.

How we do form habits that stick?

New years resolutions are only helpful if they come with systems that we can maintain longterm. There is a ton of writing on this subject, but a new line of thought we really liked comes from the work of James Clear.

He writes about forming goals structured around your identity or an identity you want to espouse versus performance or outcome-based.

This works by thinking about the person you want to be - not who others think you should be - and taking steps that align with that identity. Working towards the version of yourself that you want to emulate helps you form systems that can be implemented into your daily routine.

This can help you become an “active person” or an “organized person” as opposed to focusing on specific outcomes that may take much longer to achieve - like “racing a marathon.”

It can be helpful to restructure your performance goal and think about what kind of person would achieve this. It can make it easier to make smaller actions each day that build towards these goals.

defining your values can help

This way of thinking pairs well with our values and priorities worksheet (you can find it here). We like to come back to this exercise few times a year to reflect on what is important to us.

While you are going through it, think of of your values, but also about what parts of your self you want to highlight - who do you want to be?

Defining your identity and next steps for the upcoming year

Write 3 sentences that start with the following:

In the next year I want to be an ________(active, kind, healthy,) person.

List 5 actions (these can be small!) that this person would take daily to confirm that identity.

For example, an active person might get off the subway a stop early to walk, a calm person might take ten minutes before replying to an email. When at a cross roads of a decision - to work out or to order dinner - ask yourself what would an active person do, what would a healthy person do?

These micro actions help prove to yourself that you ARE this person, while also building habits and systems into your day. Small actions like this that are taken everyday are better than huge actions one time. Over time you are building towards your goals in a way that makes these habits a part of you and allows you to maintain them long term. Good luck!