21-Day Rule: Does It Work?

''The nature of habit comes from automaticity.

That's why its origin lies in getting used to.''

Why does it take so long to form a habit? Because your brain's connections are truly being rewired.

Michael Phelps and Alex Honnold share a common trait. Their behaviors became so automatic that they achieved feats that left the whole world in awe.

Alex Honnold climbed a mountain that even the best climbers would take 4 days to ascend in just 4 hours, SOLO (without any rope or safety precautions). Michael Phelps won the Olympics with his goggles filled with water, unable to see anything.

None of them repeated it for 21 days. They simply repeated it so many times that it became ingrained in their brains.

Brushing your teeth, walking, or bringing a fork to your mouth while eating are also habits. The time it takes for habits to become ingrained varies depending on the brain regions they belong to (e.g., motor neurons for movement) and varies from person to person based on their motivation levels.

Another commonality between these two successful individuals was visualizing their habits. But above all, it was their persistence. If you do something long enough, it will become a habit, and once it becomes a habit, it will become effortless. Similarly, maybe walking seemed so challenging when we were babies, and now we walk without even thinking about it. Therefore, the effectiveness of the 21-day rule is entirely up to your judgment.

Lastly, the habits that will impact your life are usually mental ones. Many clients start their sessions by saying they want to adopt a habit or stop procrastinating, but then come the big emotional reasons. This is a commonality among all of us because more than half of motivation comes from our emotions.