Can Habits Help Achieve Goals? Experts Share 5 Secrets

People often set ambitious goals, such as going to the gym regularly to lose weight, but later find it hard to achieve. According to experts, the key determinant of whether one can achieve their goals is whether they can develop the habit necessary for success. There are 5 secrets that can help people cultivate these habits.

Eike Buabang, a neuroscientist at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, stated in an article on The Conversation website that a study published in 2024 revealed that while understanding the benefits of behavioral change and believing in its value is important, developing good habits is the most powerful determinant of goal achievement.

Buabang and colleagues highlighted in a recent academic paper that habits are controlled by a delicate balance between two different brain systems. One system triggers automatic responses to familiar cues in the environment, while the other system controls behavior directed towards goals.

Drawing from decades of research in laboratory and real-world settings, they shared 5 practical strategies to help cultivate positive habits and eliminate negative ones:

There is a popular belief that it takes 21 days to form or break a habit. However, Buabang pointed out that habit formation varies for each individual.

Studies have found that habit formation, such as eating fruits at lunchtime, on average takes 66 days, but there is significant variability between individuals, ranging from 18 to 254 days.

This also depends on the specific habit itself. Other research indicates that developing the habit of going to the gym typically takes a few months, while hospital staff can develop the habit of handwashing in just a few weeks.

Buabang emphasized that regardless of how long habit formation takes, the key is to stay consistent, even if you miss a day occasionally.

The brain learns through repetition of beneficial behaviors. Habits can be reinforced through external rewards, such as treating yourself to something enjoyable after exercising.

Rewards are also important for breaking habits. If browsing social media is a way to relax, you can try replacing it with other activities that provide similar relaxation and pleasure, thereby breaking this habit.

The brain has a natural tendency to associate different actions and respond accordingly. Therefore, you can adopt the strategy of habit stacking, which involves adding a new habit you want to develop after an existing habit. Over time, the brain will associate the two together.

For example, research on flossing found that people who floss immediately after brushing their teeth are more likely to develop a lasting habit. Brushing teeth serves as a reminder, making the new habit of flossing feel like a natural part of life.

Therefore, if you want to start meditating, you can combine it with your morning coffee habit. Have your coffee and then meditate. Over time, these behaviors will intertwine, making it easier for you to stick to your goals.

Buabang noted that when life stress is high, you may find that habits you thought you had overcome resurface. This is because acute and chronic stress can shift the balance from goal-directed behavior to automatic response systems in the brain.

Fortunately, these effects are reversible. After a period of reduced stress, individuals can revert to goal-directed behavior, and brain activity will return to normal.

Buabang explained that when we feel motivated, we tend to set ambitious new goals, such as at the start of a new year, known as the “fresh start effect.” It is important to strategize and prepare for times when motivation is lacking but you still want to achieve your goals. Overcoming these weaknesses can be achieved through specific plans for situations, known as “if-then planning,” for example, “If I find myself snacking under stress, then I will take a 5-minute walk.”

This approach helps preemptively adopt healthier responses during moments when bad habits may prevail.

In conclusion, Buabang emphasized that if you want to break bad habits or replace them with good ones, their research suggests that using these evidence-based strategies can change your behavior.