The discipline it takes to create a new habit is significant. If it was easy, we would eat less, exercise more, and read more consistently with a snap of a fingers. We all know that’s not the case. Creating new habits requires focus, repetition, and willpower.
It also requires like-minded people.
When we surround ourselves with people who have the characteristics and habits we desire, we become shaped by their choices and commitments. The influence they exert through their example is a powerful motivator. We naturally mirror the habits of those we spend the most time with. To build new habits, it helps to spend more time with people who already practice them.
Our habits are cemented by the people we spend the most time with. By surrounding ourselves with people who have mastered the habits we desire, we fit in by acquiring those same habits. Those around you will naturally encourage you to do what they do in the way they do it. When multiple people share the same habit or routine you desire and you spend considerable time with them as they engage in this habit, they rub off on you.
Imagine spending time with a small group of new friends all who work out each morning together. The likelihood of being asked to join them is high. Even more likely is your desire to partake in their morning exercise. Staying fully engaged with them soon requires the same habit of morning workouts.
So the next time you want to conquer a new habit, consider who already practices it. Spend more time around them when they engage in it. The idea is not only to choose the right habit, but also to have the smarts to find others who have already mastered it. Who thought hanging out with the right people could be so personally enriching?
