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Develop Good Habits With The 21/90 Rule

We can make any day the start of a new chapter with the promise of transformation. Everyone has something they want to improve about themselves — whether developing healthier habits...

We can make any day the start of a new chapter with the promise of transformation. Everyone has something they want to improve about themselves — whether developing healthier habits or cultivating a new skill. 

But it's not always easy to stay motivated and make lasting changes. That's why we should all be familiar with the 21/90 Rule. 

What Is the 21/90 Rule?

The 21/90 Rule is an effective strategy for achieving success in any goal or habit. It's a system of making commitments and taking small, sustainable steps over time to reach the desired results. This rule aims to ensure steady progress towards a goal by committing to doing a little bit each and every day rather than attempting to do too much all at once.

Where Did the 21/90 Rule Come From?

The 21/90 Rule says that it will become habitual if we stick with something for 21 days. By devoting 90 days to it, we can achieve meaningful, lasting change in our lives. 

This practice has been around for centuries but was famously outlined in the book Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. While the concept itself isn't revolutionary by any means, it has been proven to be effective time and time again in helping individuals commit to and succeed at positive lifestyle changes. 

The idea behind this approach is not only that repetition leads to habit formation and mastery of skills over time; it's also about showing yourself you are capable of following through at something!

Why Should We Use the 21/30 Rule?

The beauty of this rule is that breaking up your goal into smaller chunks makes it less intimidating and easier to achieve than trying to tackle everything at once. 

For example, instead of trying to overhaul your entire lifestyle as soon as possible (which can be overwhelming, to say the least), break up your goals into smaller steps that can be accomplished over time — like committing yourself to go for a 20-minute walk every day for three weeks before increasing the intensity or duration of your workout. 

Plus, having an end date in sight motivates us when things get tough and helps us stay on track until we finally reach our goal. 

How To Abide by the 21/90 Rule

For the first 21 days of your new chapter, dedicate yourself to working towards a specific goal that you want to accomplish. This could be anything from working out regularly to learning a new language. 

Whatever it is, make sure it's something that really matters to you. During this period, commit yourself fully and take action every single day. 

Then, for the next 90 days following the initial 21 days, focus your energy on developing habits that will help you achieve your goal even further. This could involve scheduling regular tasks into your calendar or taking small steps daily toward the larger objective you have set for yourself. 

Remember, small, consistent actions add up! It's important to note that during this period, you should also continue doing what you did during the first 21 days — keep putting in the effort and developing positive habits every day!

At the end of this process, take stock of where you are — have you achieved your goal? Have you made progress? What did and didn't work? How might you adjust your approach going forward? 

Celebrate any success achieved during the process — such as with a patch or two — and use it as evidence for continuing your journey toward supercharged personal growth and productivity this year! 

Any Tips?

As a matter of fact, we have quite a few. To make sure you stick to the 21/90 Rule, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind: 

1. Track Your Progress

Progress tracking is essential for succeeding with the 21/90 Rule because it helps keep you focused on what needs to be accomplished to meet your goal by day 90. 

Keep an ongoing list of tasks related to your goal, which you can check off as they're completed, and use markers such as stickers or stars on a calendar chart to track how many days have been completed so far towards forming your habit. 

2. Take Action Every Single Day

One of the keys to making progress with the 21/90 Rule is taking action every single day, no matter what or how small it may feel. Even if all you do one day is set aside 10 minutes just thinking about what needs to be done, that's still considered taking action towards achieving your ultimate objective in some form or another. 

3. Find Support

Finding someone who shares similar goals can provide tremendous motivation when things get tough during the course of working towards realizing them over 90 days. Your support buddy doesn't necessarily have to share the same goal but could just be someone who will cheer you on regardless and provide positive reinforcement and accountability. 

4. Have Fun

Don't forget that having fun should also factor into reaching any goal, especially one tied directly into forming habits over time through following something such as the 21/90 Rule! 

Every day presents opportunities for growth, so figure out ways to integrate both learning and enjoyment to make progress enjoyable instead of drudgery each time you attempt something new. 

Pro Tip: Need a helping hand to keep you on track with your goals? Check out our B12 Awake Patch — simply open, peel, and stick anytime you need a boost. 

Conclusion

The 21/90 Rule offers a useful framework for making positive changes in our lives in an achievable way. By breaking down our goals into manageable chunks, we can make steady progress toward achieving them without feeling overwhelmed or discouraged along the way. 

So why not give it a try this year? With consistency and dedication over time, there's nothing you can't accomplish!

Sources:

The 21/90 Rule - Have You Heard About It? | Jolly Good Times

Psycho-Cybernetics Summary, Review PDF | Life Club

Goal Missed, Self Hit: Goal-Setting, Goal-Failure, and Their Affective, Motivational, and Behavioral Consequences | Frontiers

Set your goals and make them happen | Action for Happiness

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