This One (Dumb?) Trick Helped Me Create A New, Daily Habit
by Marissa Pomerance
Don’t you just love scrolling past Instagram posts that are like, “this is how I became a marathon runner: consistency”?
So helpful!
I spent two years trying to motivate myself to take a short morning walk a few times a week only to wake up and instantly decide to go back to sleep and forget the walk—if only I’d known to “be consistent,” then maybe I would’ve done it and no one would ever struggle to form healthier habits or routines!
Changing our habits is hard, and requires more than just sheer willpower and a can-do attitude. According to Dr. Faye Begeti (also known as The Brain Doctor on Instagram), it takes far more than the typically-quoted 21 days to form a habit.
In fact, she suggests there’s a 4-part puzzle for creating new, consistent habits: really small action, reward, reminder, and repetition.
That might not seem revelatory. But recently, I’ve employed one of these 4 tricks in particular, and guess what? I’m finally taking those long walks. Yes, consistently. In fact, not to brag, but over time, they’ve gone from a quick jaunt around the block to a 2-3-mile power-walk.
Here’s the trick:
Pair something you don’t want to do with a reward or a “treat.”
I know—the idea of giving yourself a “reward” for going on a walk seems slightly ridiculous. We love to exclaim “treat yo’self” on Instagram, but must we REALLY treat ourselves for accomplishing even the smallest of tasks?
Well if you’re trying to start a new habit, I say: yes, why not?
It doesn’t need to be a big reward, like splurging on a fancy sushi dinner or pair of designer heels. It can be as small as an iced oat milk latte. Which is exactly what got me to start my own habit.
On the weekend, I would “treat” myself to a fancy oat milk latte from my trendy local coffee shop that was about a block away. And since I had already walked to the coffee shop to pick up this latte, once I had my coffee, I just…kept walking. At first, I’d walk just a few blocks. But as I slowly built this habit, those walks became longer and longer. (Remember those other parts of the habit puzzle—really small action and repetition?). I even started to enjoy them.
And it’s more than simply creating an association between something positive (coffee) and something I didn’t want to do (a long walk): I created my own little ritual of happiness. I drink my coffee, listen to a podcast, have some time to myself, and come back feeling calm and accomplished.
And that’s the real trick here—it’s not about white-knuckling it through something you hate to become “consistent.” It’s about figuring out what you like, what motivates you, and then using it to turn something kind of blah into something you truly enjoy.
If a daily coffee doesn’t do it for you, or if trying to go on a long walk isn’t your issue, here are a few other suggestions for motivational “treats”:
Habit you’re trying to form: intermittent fasting.
Treat: Every time you successfully get through a whole day of IF, give yourself a trashy magazine at the supermarket checkout and feel GREAT about it.
Habit: Attempting to go to bed before midnight each night instead of scrolling on TikTok until 3 am.
Treat: Every WEEK you get to bed on time, maybe you reward yourself with a new piece of stationary/pen/office accoutrement, or an accessory you’ve been eyeing. (Yes it can be done weekly too—just decide if you’re more of an instant gratification person, like me).
Habit: Getting up early to do an at-home workout.
Treat: Stream an episode of your favorite comfort show while working out (amazing how quickly it goes by when accompanied by a few Friends episodes!), or have a frosty smoothie waiting in the fridge.
Habit: Finally finishing a book for once.
Treat: Every time you finish a book, go to a local bookstore to buy yourself a new one, and while you’re out, maybe just “pop in” to your local Sephora or Nordstrom.
What would be a “treat” that motivates you?
Marissa Pomerance is the Managing Editor of The Candidly. She’s a Los Angeles native and lover of all things food, style, beauty, and wellness. You can find more of her articles here.
