“How long does it take to build a habit? 21 days? 30 days? 66 days? The honest answer is: forever. Because once you stop doing it, it is no longer a habit. A habit is a lifestyle to be lived, not a finish line to be crossed. Make small, sustainable changes you can stick with.”
James Clear, Blog
Beyond the Quote (22/365)
It’s time to end the debate. It’s time to change your mindset about how habits work and how they are formed. The problem with 21, 30, 66, or even 90 days, is that those numbers create finish lines—and very short distanced ones at that. And once one of those finish lines are crossed, then what?
Are you going to be able to reduce the energy, willpower, and effort that went into getting you to that finish line in the first place? Are you going to be able to continue moving forward at the same pace without putting in the same work? Will there be some kind of auto-pilot mode that kicks in that pulls you forward after you hit that magical number? …Because I don’t know about you, but usually when you cross a finish line you slow down and stop?
Now, of course I understand the science and understand why such timeframes are used to help people, ‘create new habits’ but here’s the point: would you run differently for a 40 meter dash than you would for a marathon? Of course you would! One is a sprint and one is an endurance run. What’s the difference between the two? How far away the finish line is. The problem with the 21, 30, 66, 90 day marks is that they entice you to start your efforts off at a 40 meter dash pace and then expect you to continue for a marathon distance once you cross that short finish line.
Imagine running your fastest 40 meter dash you possibly could and then finding out that the finish line wasn’t after 40 meters but was actually after 42,195 meters?! You would probably say a select few choice words, put up a finger or two, and walk the other way! But what if you trained for a 42,195 meter race in the first place (26.2 miles) and set off at a pace that you felt could sustain you the whole way? It would change everything.
The 40 meter mindset is completely different than the 42,195 meter mindset—and the same is true for the 21, 30, 66, 90 day mindset versus the rest-of-your-lifetime mindset. So, before you commit to any lifestyle change that involves creating new habits, cross out the finish line(s) and commit to running at an endurance pace that will sustain you for at least 42,195 days. Ask yourself, am I willing to commit to this habit task for the rest of my life? If the answer is no, then change the lifestyle goal. Period. The best way to complete a marathon isn’t to do a barrage of sprint and walk and stop sets—it’s to run at a consistent and steady pace throughout.
Read Next: 10 Sobering James Clear Quotes on Making Progress from Atomic Habits
Don't Let the Motivation Stop There...!
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