How to Form a Habit (and Actually Stick With It)

We’ve all been there. You start a new habit with the best intentions, whether it’s exercising every day, drinking more water, or even just putting your phone away before bed. You feel energized and motivated at first, but after a few days or weeks, life gets busy. Your focus slips and suddenly that new routine you were so excited about fades into the background.

Forming habits sounds simple. It’s staying consistent that’s the hard part. The truth is, creating good habits isn’t about willpower. It's about understanding how habits work and setting up a system that supports them.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to form a habit, how long it actually takes to make one stick, and the most effective tips to help you stay consistent.

What is a Habit (and Why They Matter)

A habit is a behavior you perform automatically, often triggered by something else in your environment. You brush your teeth after breakfast. You check your phone when you wake up. You pour coffee the moment you enter the kitchen.

These automatic behaviors are part of what’s called the habit loop – a cycle made up of three parts: cue, routine, and reward. The cue is the trigger (like walking into the kitchen), the routine is the action (making coffee), and the reward is the satisfaction or pleasure you feel afterward.

Good habits save energy and simplify your life. They take the guesswork out of your day, helping things run more smoothly. Your brain doesn’t have to stop and think about every little choice because the behavior is automatic. When you’re intentional about building good habits, you make progress toward your goals without relying on constant motivation.

How Many Days Does it Take to Make a Habit?

You’ve probably heard that it takes 21 days to form a habit, but that’s more myth than fact. And maybe a little wishful thinking.

A study by researchers at University College London found that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic. However, this can vary depending on the habit itself, your environment, and how consistent you are.

So instead of focusing on a specific number of days, think about habit-building as a process. What matters isn’t how quickly it forms, but whether you keep showing up. If you miss a day, don’t panic. Missing one day doesn’t reset your progress. The key is to get back on track quickly before that break turns into a new (and unwanted) pattern.

The bottom line: stop asking how many days does it take to make a habit, and start asking what systems will make it easier to stay consistent?

Tips for Forming a Habit That Actually Sticks

Once you understand how habits form, the next step is learning how to make a habit that lasts. These practical, research-backed tips can help you stay consistent and motivated – even when life gets in the way.

1. Start Small (Really Small)

Most people fail at building habits because they aim too high, too fast. You set a goal to meditate for 30 minutes every morning, and by day three, it already feels overwhelming.

Instead, start small. Really small. Try two minutes of meditation, one push-up, or reading one page. Behavioral scientists call this the “two-minute rule,” made popular by James Clear in Atomic Habits.

When you start small, you remove the mental resistance that keeps you from taking action. Once the habit feels easy, you can build on it naturally. Remember, the goal isn’t to make massive progress overnight. It’s to build consistency through small wins.

Try this: Want to start journaling? Write a single sentence each morning. Want to walk more? Step outside and walk for two minutes. You’ll be surprised how often those two minutes turn into ten.

2. Attach it to an Existing Routine

One of the easiest ways to start creating good habits is through habit stacking. This is when you link a new behavior to something you already do every day.

For example:

• After I brush my teeth, I’ll stretch for one minute.

• After I pour my coffee, I’ll write down one thing I’m grateful for.

• After I log off work, I’ll play with the dog.

Habit stacking works because your existing routines act as cues. Instead of trying to create motivation out of thin air, you piggyback on something that already exists.

Try this: Identify one daily habit you already have, and ask yourself, “What small action could I add right after this?” That’s your stack.

3. Track Your Habits (and Celebrate Small Wins)

Tracking your habits keeps you accountable and motivated. Seeing visual proof of your progress releases dopamine, making you feel good and reinforcing the behavior.

Whether you prefer pen and paper or a habit tracker app, tracking gives you a simple, satisfying sense of progress. It turns your habit from something abstract into something visible and measurable.

Try this: Trying to start a new daily routine? At the end of each day you achieve it, check off your habit. If you miss it once, try to not break the streak twice in a row. Focus on progress, not perfection.

4. Write Down Your Habits and Intentions

Writing helps solidify your commitment. Research shows that people who write down their goals are significantly more likely to achieve them.

For more motivation, jot down not just what you want to do, but why you want to do it. Maybe you want to run daily because it helps your anxiety, or you want to journal every night to improve your self-awareness. The more emotionally connected you are to your “why,” the stronger your motivation becomes.

Try this: Keep a small notebook or use your phone’s notes app. Write down your top three habits and one sentence for each, explaining why it matters to you.

5. Make it Easy to Start

When something feels difficult, we tend to avoid it. The secret to building habits is removing friction so the path to starting feels effortless.

Want to exercise in the morning? Set out your workout clothes the night before. Trying to read more? Keep your book on your nightstand. Want to drink more water? Instead of having to shlep over to the water cooler throughout the day, fill your water bottle and put it on your desk. These little environmental cues make it easier to begin without overthinking.

Try this: Prepare your environment before you go to bed. The fewer decisions you have to make in the morning, the more likely you’ll follow through.

6. Design Your Environment for Success

Your surroundings shape your behavior a lot more than you think. If you’re trying to eat healthier, keep fruit on the counter instead of chips in the pantry. If you want to read more and doomscroll less, keep your book visible and your phone out of reach.

This principle, often called choice architecture, is all about designing your environment to make the right choice the easy one.

Try this: Walk through your home and ask, “Is this space helping me build the habit I want or making it harder?”

7. Prepare the Night Before (And Get Enough Sleep)

A consistent morning routine starts the night before. Getting enough sleep makes it easier to stick to any routine because you’re not fighting fatigue or low motivation.

Prepare small things (your workout gear, breakfast, to-do list) before bedtime so your morning feels smooth. This builds momentum before the day even begins.

Try this: Choose a bedtime that allows for 7-8 hours of sleep, and do one small thing before bed that sets you up for success tomorrow.

8. Be Patient with the Process

We often give up on new habits because we expect results too quickly. It’s important to remember that real change takes time. It’s okay if progress feels slow – what matters is that you’re consistent.

Self-compassion plays a huge role here. Beating yourself up after missing a day only makes it harder to restart. Treat it like learning any skill: progress is messy, but every repetition matters.

Try this: When you slip, remind yourself: “I’m building something long-term.” Progress isn’t linear, but it’s still progress.

Common Mistakes When Trying to Build a Habit

If you’ve tried and failed to stick with habits before, you’re not alone. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid:

• Starting too big or changing too much at once

• Relying only on motivation instead of systems

• Setting vague goals (“I’ll exercise more”) instead of specific ones (“I’ll walk after dinner”)

• Ignoring cues and triggers

• Not tracking your progress

When you notice one of these patterns, don’t restart from zero – just restart small. Remember, consistency compounds over time.  If you need inspiration, check out 10 Daily Habits That Shape the Routines of Successful People. You’ll see how small, simple routines add up to big results.

Why Tracking Your Progress Keeps You Going

Tracking isn’t just about keeping score. It’s about building awareness. Seeing your progress gives you a psychological boost and helps you identify what’s working (and what’s not).

Habit-tracking apps make this process simple. You can see your streaks, your progress over time, and what routines are a better fit for you than others. Over time, these insights help you adjust your approach so it fits your lifestyle better.

Small wins add up. Every box you check is a reminder that you’re showing up for yourself – and that’s what truly builds momentum.

Final Thoughts: Build Habits That Build You

Learning how to build good habits doesn’t require extreme discipline or massive change. It starts with one small, repeatable action that you commit to doing on a regular basis.

Remember, the goal isn’t perfection. It’s consistency. Your habits shape your days, and your days shape your life. So start small, track your progress, and keep going. Sticking with your habits, one day at a time, is how small changes turn into lasting results.

FAQs About Forming Habits

Q: How long does it take to form a habit?
Research shows it takes an average of 66 days to form a habit, depending on the habit and your consistency. The key is repetition.

Q: What’s the easiest way to start a new habit?
Start small and connect it to something you already do. The smaller the habit, the easier it is to repeat daily.

Q: What’s the habit loop?
The habit loop is a three-step cycle: cue, routine, and reward. Understanding it helps you design habits that stick.

Q: What should I do if I miss a day?
Don’t quit. Just start again tomorrow. Missing once won’t break the habit, but quitting will.

Q: Do habit tracker apps really help?
Yes. They keep you accountable, make progress visible, and reinforce consistency through positive feedback.