There is a plethora of self-help books, articles, websites and the like out there. The vast majority genuinely want to assist change and support people into making those changes as quickly and painlessly as possible. Many perpetuate the myth that it takes 21 or possibly 30 or possibly some other random number of days to embed a new habit or behaviour. The truth about embedding change is somewhat different. You have to want it. So, are you ready to make a new you happen?
In 1960 Dr Maxwell Maltz published “Psycho-Cybernetics” in which he shared his views on behaviour change. This included his observation that change took a minimum of 21 days to embed. This was not a random number, but a number based on his observations of how long his patients took to adjust to surgical changes to their bodies as well as his own observations of how long it took him to change behaviour.
Obviously, it’s not a scientific study. It’s Dr Maltz’s observations, although observations based on real data; his patients’ recovery time.
The reality, of course, is that we are all different. Firstly, some changes can and do happen instantly. Additionally, some happen more quickly, whereas others can take time. It’s all about how quickly you can reprogramme your unconscious mind because this is where all learning, change and behaviour take place. Crucially, you may consciously want the change and if you’ve been doing the unwanted behaviour for a long time, it can take a while to lose the unwanted behaviour and replace it with what you now want. And this can take 21 days, it may take 30 days, it might take longer, and it could happen more quickly.
Critically, change only happens if you make it happen. Astonishingly, many moan about what’s not working, what isn’t that good, and then do nothing to bring about change. If you realise that life is different from how you want it, that’s the first step. And it serves no purpose if you then do nothing.
The important first step is wanting to change and then knowing what that change is. It’s about working out what the new wanted behaviour is, as you need to start with the end in mind. Only then can you work out what the first steps is.
If you can do that for yourself, do it. You also know that you can seek help by booking an initial consultation here and then take the next step. You know that you can do it, and you that it’s all about becoming the very best version of you, isn’t it?
