You've all heard the rule that it takes 21 days to form a habit. But where did that idea come from and is it even true? In today's episode, I share the surprising story of who developed this idea - it wasn't a psychologist. Then I'll talk about research that investigates how long it really takes to develop habits.

I also discuss a much overlooked influence on habit formation - the stages of change model. This model breaks change into five stages:

• Precontemplation
• Contemplation
• Preparation
• Action
• Maintenance

At the end of this episode I offer several recommendations for increasing your success with forming your own habits.

Beyond The Podcast

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Visit my blog, www.createmeaningfulchange.org for more helpful advice and to download extras.