We all know habits are hard to break, but what if your life literally depended on it? You’d probably think you would have massive motivation to break that habit and make some major lifestyle changes, right? Well, not necessarily.
In a long-term U.S. study, researchers followed people diagnosed with serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, or lung disease over a 14-year period. The goal? To see whether the shock of diagnosis would drive lasting change.
The results were both surprising and sobering.
Most People Did Not Change or Break That Habit Even Though It Was Life Threatening
The study revealed that the vast majority of individuals did not adopt healthier behaviours, despite facing life-threatening consequences.
Even among smokers diagnosed with heart disease, a group with a clear and urgent reason to quit, only 40% managed to stop.
There were no significant increase in exercise, and only small shifts in alcohol use. Over time, those who did change mostly maintained their improvements, but as a whole, there was no long-term average improvement in health behaviours across the group. (REF: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3325087/)
So why is it hard to break that habit, even when we know what’s at stake?
The answer lies both in our habits, and in our identity.
Dr. Maxwell Maltz, author of Psycho-Cybernetics, describes the mind as operating through an internal guidance system, like a thermostat. He suggests we all have a mental “set point” that’s governed by our self-image; the way we subconsciously see ourselves.
If your internal identity sees you as unhealthy, undisciplined, or undeserving of success, no matter how hard you try to change, you’ll be pulled back to match that image. It’s like a thermostat kicking in to bring the room back to its programmed temperature.
To create real, lasting change; to break that bad habit, we must change and rewire our thoughts. Upgrade them and align them with a new self-image, one that matches our ideal future self.
As Maltz wrote:
“You will act like the sort of person you conceive yourself to be.”
The challenge, of course, is that habits are deeply wired into the brain’s basal ganglia, where they operate automatically. When we face stressful moments, anxious or worrying events, we tend to default to these patterns, whether they serve us or not. Exactly why it’s so hard to break that habit that’s keeping you hostage.
Accordingly, transformation isn’t just about willpower, it’s about working from the inside out. It involves changing our mindsets, and creating helpful habits, both of which often require expert help.
Another study revealed something remarkable: when people facing major lifestyle changes were given peer support, success rates in maintaining those changes soared to nearly 80%. In contrast, those who tried to go it alone had a success rate of just 10%. So, here lies a key; find someone to help you succeed.
Change is possible. Growth is possible. Healing is possible
You can change, you can break that habit, yet it requires more than motivation. It takes:
- Self-awareness to catch ourselves when we fall into our old patterns
- Desire to change
- New strategies and tools to rewire the brain and shift our identity
- The support of others to help us keep accountable and stay on track
Whether you’re facing a health challenge, stuck in old patterns, or simply want to live and perform at a higher level, know this: you’re not broken, and you’re not alone.
The first step is the hardest. It might begin with being honest with yourself, and next, reaching out to enlist an expert to help you. However, when you take that first step, you tick off the hardest part.
Acknowledge every win, every small step forward, and keep going. It’s sticking to your plan, focusing on the end result, and never quitting. Consistency is a vital key to rewire your brain and reset your internal thermostat for lasting success.
The only question left is, are you ready to break that habit? Then it’s time to reset your inner thermostat, upgrade your identity and create new results
About the Author
Mandy Napier is a Global High Performance Mindset Coach who dedicates her work to supporting business professionals and entrepreneurs. She helps them fulfil their potential and achieve extraordinary results professionally and personally. Transformations are the norm, and Mandy guarantees results.
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