Frequently Asked Questions About Habit Building
As you begin this journey, questions will naturally arise. It’s a sign that you’re engaging thoughtfully with the process. Here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear, designed to provide clarity and keep you moving forward.
How long does it really take to build a habit?
The popular answer you’ve likely heard is “21 days.” Unfortunately, this is a myth based on a misinterpretation of older research. More recent and robust studies, such as one from University College London, suggest the average time it takes for a new behavior to feel automatic is closer to 66 days. However, the key word is “average.” The study found a huge range, from 18 days to as long as 254 days. The time it takes depends on the complexity of the habit, the individual, and the environment. A simple habit like drinking a glass of water after waking up might solidify in a few weeks, while a complex one like a daily 90-minute coding practice will take much longer. The takeaway is to release yourself from any specific timeline. Don’t focus on the finish line. Instead, focus on the process of showing up each day. Consistency is far more important than speed.
What should I do when I travel or my routine is disrupted?
This is a classic habit-failure scenario. A disruption in your environment and schedule can easily break your new routines. The key is to plan ahead and scale down. Before you travel, think about how you can adapt your habits to the new context. Your goal is not perfection, but maintenance. Lean heavily on your minimum viable action (MVA). If your habit is a 30-minute workout, perhaps your “travel MVA” is 10 bodyweight squats in your hotel room. If you write 500 words a day, maybe it’s just writing one sentence in a notes app. By performing a tiny version of the habit, you keep the streak alive (remembering “never miss twice”) and make it much easier to ramp back up to your normal routine when you return home. Don’t view travel as a pause button, but as an opportunity to practice flexibility.
I’ve been consistent, but I’ve hit a plateau. What now?
Plateaus are a normal and expected part of any long-term process, whether it’s fitness, learning a skill, or habit building. First, acknowledge your progress so far. You’ve successfully made a behavior consistent, which is a huge victory. A plateau can happen for a few reasons. You might be getting bored, or the habit may no longer be challenging enough to be engaging. To break through, you can introduce a small amount of novelty or a slight increase in difficulty. If you’ve been walking the same route every day, try exploring a new park. If you’ve been meditating for five minutes, try extending it to seven. You can also re-engage with your “why.” Revisit your identity goals. Remind yourself of the person you are becoming and how this habit supports that identity. Sometimes, just reconnecting with your deeper motivation is enough to push through a period of stagnation.
Can I work on multiple new habits at the same time?
While it’s tempting to overhaul your life all at once, this is generally a recipe for burnout and one of the biggest reasons habits fail. Each new habit requires a certain amount of attention and cognitive energy to establish. Trying to build several complex habits simultaneously—like starting a new diet, a gym routine, and a daily writing practice all in the same week—divides your focus and depletes your willpower reserves too quickly. A more sustainable approach is to focus on one, or at most two, new habits at a time. Pick the one that feels most important or foundational to you. Once that habit starts to feel automatic and requires less conscious effort, you can then “stack” a new one on top of it or begin building another one. Start small, build momentum, and then expand. This is the path to durable, layered change.
