Four Questions to Ask Before You Try to Develop or Break a Habit
Everyone wants to quit their bad habits and start good ones instead, like exercising for half an hour instead of sleeping or drinking seltzer instead of soda. But more often than not, you stop halfway to your decisions . The reason, according to Gretchen Rubin, is poor self-esteem before starting work.
Rubin, author of Better Than Before , the book on habit change, says self-knowledge is critical before you change any habit or try to change any behavior. Her Theory of Four Trends is pretty well known, but she expanded it to include four more general differences that you need to define about yourself:
- Are you a morning person or an owl ?
- How do you work? Are you a marathon runner who prefers to do a little bit every day, or a sprinkler who loves to finish when the deadline approaches?
- Do you like simplicity, silence, private accounts, minimalism, etc.? Or do you enjoy abundance, open offices, chatty coworkers, and so on?
- Are you finishing or opening the game? If you are alone, you need to work on other qualities. The openers will have several ongoing projects. Finishers miss out on opportunities because they see nothing else when they complete their current project.
Rubin’s book has several other distinctive character traits. All of this adds up to give you an idea of which habit plan you are most likely to follow. And if you’re not familiar with her theory of four trends, take the quiz to find out.
For habits, a strategy for self-discovery | Gretchen Rubin