5 Triggers For Creating New Habits
5 Triggers to Help Christian Men Create New Habits
(*And Make Them Stick)
Change can be hard, but it doesn't have to be.
It is possible for us as Christian men to establish new habits and make them stick. We just need the right tools for the job. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, has identified five triggers that can help us develop healthier habits and maintain them over time. I believe these can help you and I, both, as we seek to become more of the men that God meant for us to be.
Let's take a closer look at each one.
“Cue”
The trigger of cue tells us that we must attach our desired habit to something or someone else which will act as a reminder or prompt to do the activity regularly.
This could mean setting an alarm clock so that when it rings you know it’s time for exercise or putting your shoes next to your bed so that when you wake up they are there to remind you to put them on and head to workout right away.
By attaching our desired habits to something tangible we are more likely to take action and make our goals a reality.
“Craving”
This trigger involves developing positive feelings towards the desired outcome we wish to achieve.
For example, if you want to lose weight then create a craving for positive things like feeling lighter and more energetic rather than focusing on the negative aspect like eating less food or having more self-discipline.
Framing the new habits in a happier, more positive light and creating positive cravings for our goals make them much easier to attain and, ultimately, sustain in the long run.
“Response”
The response trigger helps us create an automatic response so that when we encounter a certain situation or circumstance, it triggers an automatic reaction from us without any conscious thought involved. This is critical when you're hoping to create change or new habits!
For example, if you want to quit smoking then every time you feel like lighting up another cigarette, you should immediately engage in some other activity such as drinking water or talking with someone instead of reaching for that cancer-causer. This helps break the automatic process of responding in a certain way which is difficult (if not impossible) with just willpower alone!
In fact, we all know willpower is limited and doesn't work. We need more than that to win this fight.
“Reward”
Rewards are an important part of making new habits stick because they provide incentives for taking action and making progress towards our desired outcome(s).
Rewards don’t always have to be tangible (like money or gifts); they can also be things like getting praise from friends/family members or simply feeling good after completing a task/activity correctly.
Rewarding yourself every now and then will help keep you motivated and on track for achieving your goals! Think of some simple rewards that you can incorporate into your new routines and reward yourself as you make progress.
“Environment”
Finally, environment plays a big role in helping us make new habits stick because it can either encourage us or discourage us from taking action towards achieving our goals.
Having supportive people around you who understand your goals will help a lot. While being surrounded by people who don’t support your efforts can hinder progress significantly.
Moral of the story: surround yourself with those who will cheer you on! This may be friends and family or even joining a group of like-minded men like we make available in our Fight Club and Strike Force groups. (Click here to learn more and see how this could help you fight and win.)
As Christian men looking to make lasting change in our lives - not just quick-fixes that are here today and gone tomorrow - understanding these five triggers is essential for success!
Cues remind us what we need to be doing; Cravings give us motivation to do it; Responses create an automatic reaction so we don't have to think so hard about doing it; Rewards provide incentives which we need to help keep us focused and enjoying the process; and Environments fuel support systems - all working together towards helping establish better habits and making them stick over time!
