In the pursuit of self-improvement, building strong habits is crucial.
Whether it’s regular exercise, eating healthily, or developing new skills, consistency is key.
However, contrary to popular belief, an inflexible approach to building habits can actually lead to failure rather than success.
Research suggests that the more rigid a routine is, the more likely it is to collapse under the weight of life’s unpredictable nature.
Research on Habit Formation
A study conducted on 2,500 Google employees provides revealing insights into how the rigidity of routines can undermine long-term habit development.
Participants were divided into three groups: a strict routine group, a flexible plan group, and a control group.
- Strict Routine Group: participants were required to select a fixed two-hour window to work out daily. Compliance with this strict schedule earned them financial incentives.
- Flexible Plan Group: this group was encouraged to exercise at any time that suited them, and like the strict group, they received financial rewards for working out.
- Control Group: these participants were given no specific guidelines or incentives but were encouraged to exercise.
Results: The Flexibility Factor
During the four-week incentivized period, both the strict and flexible plan groups showed increased gym attendance compared to the control group.
However, once financial incentives were removed, the strict group faltered in maintaining their habits, while those in the flexible plan group were twice as likely to continue their exercise regimen.
Why Did the Strict Routine Fail?
This might seem counterintuitive, but the inflexible approach of the strict routine group was not conducive to maintaining habits in real-world situations.
Participants became conditioned to working out only during their designated window and were unable to adapt to missed sessions or unexpected changes.
They were discouraged if conditions were not perfect, which prevented them from finding alternative solutions.
In contrast, the flexible group learned to find ways to incorporate exercise into their schedules regardless of circumstances.
This adaptability made them more resilient to disruptions and kept them consistent even after the incentives ended.
Perfection vs. progress
The study’s findings highlight a crucial lesson: don’t let perfection overshadow progress.
By setting unrealistic expectations that don’t account for life’s variability, we risk becoming discouraged and giving up altogether.
A flexible plan ensures that you can adjust and still achieve your goals despite occasional setbacks.
When it comes to diet plans or other health-related habits, this principle holds equally true.
The rigidity of a strict plan can lead to stress and anxiety, making us feel like failures when unexpected events disrupt our regimen.
Flexible planning, however, allows us to accommodate life’s unpredictability and adapt without guilt.
How to build sustainable habits ?
The book *You Can’t Screw This Up* was written with this philosophy in mind, aiming to help people build sustainable, flexible habits that last.
By moving away from rigid diet plans, it encourages a practical approach that considers real-world challenges.
This type of flexibility leads to more consistent, lasting success without unnecessary stress.
In summary, successful habit formation hinges on flexibility. Life is unpredictable, so we should build routines that can adapt to its fluctuations.
By focusing on progress over perfection, and giving ourselves the grace to adjust when things don’t go as planned, we can make habits stick in the long run.
