Developing new habits takes time, patience, and sometimes constantly reminding yourself why you’re trying to develop a new habit in the first place. Maybe, like me, you’re motivated to develop a new habit. You’ve done your research, organized the things you need, and carried on for several days before falling flat on your face, left with that familiar “maybe it’s just me” feeling.
The truth is, it’s not just you. Everyone I talk to who has tried to develop new habits has told me the same thing – they start out with good intentions but just don’t seem to last more than a few days or at least a week. Whether it’s life in general or some degree of self-sabotage, something seems to pop up, forcing them to revert to their old ways.
When it comes to developing new habits, the “hump” is very real. The hump may appear after a few days or even after a few weeks. It’s the point where your motivation wanes and you’re tempted to fall back into your old routine, questioning whether the new you is really who you can become.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve tried, for example, to stick to a workout routine only to give up and go back to my old habits. That was basically the story of my twenties. Over time I learned how to get over the “hump” and it wasn’t always easy to do. In fact, every time I try to develop a new habit, I have to face it like it was the first time all over again. It doesn’t seem to go away so I think it’s worth exploring because the hump can kill your good intentions very easily.
In this post, we’ll see how it turns out young Habits can be a lot easier when you know how to get over the dreaded hump.
1. Develop new habits that are realistic
One of the best things you can do, in my experience, is to start your new habit journey by setting realistic goals. If developing new habits seems too difficult, you’re probably setting your sights too high. For example, if you’ve never been to the gym before, planning to go three times a week may have you coming face to face with the hump much sooner than you think. You could easily burn out and get overwhelmed before you really start changing things.
Instead, it may be easier to adjust your look once or twice a week. You know your limits, so set yourself realistic goals, ones you can stick to, and you’ll find developing new habits much easier and more enjoyable.
2. Remember the hump is coming
No matter how well you do, the hump usually comes. It’s that point where your initial motivation wears off and you wonder if you should do anything else. The humpback is strong and doesn’t discriminate, so don’t feel bad when it rears its ugly head! Developing new habits is easier when you keep in mind that at some point the hump will come. That way, when the hump comes up, you’ll be prepared for it and in a stronger position to get over it.
Remember – it’s not your fault when you’re over the hump, it’s hard work trying to change your routine, especially when you’ve had the same habits for decades.
3. Stop relying on incentives
Motivation is something that comes and goes depending on what you see, watch or read. Some days you’ll wake up and your motivation will be high and other days you’ll wake up and feel like you’re doing nothing and you won’t understand why. Motivation is usually caused by an external force, something that inspires. This is why it cannot be invoked. When you’re over the hump, you’re reminded that no one is going to develop good habits for you, and that at the end of the day, they have to come from within you.
So don’t rely on your motivation levels to get to know you, you you have to make a decision to keep going, even when you don’t feel like it because you know it’s the right thing to do and you know what the reward is on the other side.
4. Get back on the horse
No one is perfect and no one can maintain the same momentum forever. If you fall out of your new routine while developing new habits, don’t worry. Don’t be tempted to feel like a failure, just jump right back on that horse next time. For example, if you injure yourself at the gym and have to take a week off, don’t worry, keep building your new habits while you rest so you’ll be ready to get over the hump when you’re fit.
If you go out to eat and eat more than you have lately, don’t punish yourself. In the morning, go back to this diet plan. From time to time, you will have a slump or get distracted. As long as you don’t slip into your old habits for too long, you’ll be fine. Get up, dust yourself off and go again!
5. Be patient
Developing new habits requires a lot of patience, usually with yourself. You’re not going to see the benefits of your new habits right away. It’s easy to give up when that hump comes and that’s when patience is critical. Meaningful, worthwhile habits take time to develop, after all, you’re trying to change your lifestyle and that can’t be done in a few days. Patience and consistency are key and are the only way to develop new habits that really last.
If you’re trying to lose weight, you won’t see significant, long-term weight loss until you’re a few weeks into it and it’s well past that. You probably won’t even be able to see a difference in your body until you’re 4-6 weeks into your journey.
So if you feel frustrated while developing new habits, remember that it will take some time to see meaningful change.
Jump over the hump consistently
Developing new habits isn’t always easy, but it shouldn’t feel like an uphill battle. Keep your goals small and realistic at first until you’re ready to scale them up to something bigger. Overall, your consistency will pay off in the long run. You’ll probably feel some degree of discomfort at first, but that doesn’t last long if you keep getting up, especially when you don’t feel like it.
The hump may try to block your path, but by following the steps above you can climb over it and make your life much easier.
