The Power of Keystone Habits
Some habits are more important than others. "Keystone habits," a term coined by Charles Duhigg in "The Power of Habit," are habits that have a ripple effect, leading to a cascade of other positive behaviors. By focusing on changing or cultivating a keystone habit, you can spark a chain reaction that transforms other areas of your life.
What Makes a Habit a "Keystone" Habit?
Keystone habits are different because they create "small wins." When you start to change one key behavior, it provides a sense of accomplishment that can fuel other changes. They also help to shift your sense of self. When you start exercising regularly, you begin to see yourself as a "healthy person," which makes it easier to adopt other healthy habits.
Keystone habits create a new structure in your life and help you believe that change is possible.
Examples of Powerful Keystone Habits
Keystone habits are not necessarily big, difficult habits. They are often small things that have a disproportionate impact.
1. Regular Exercise
This is perhaps the most cited example of a keystone habit. Studies have shown that people who start exercising regularly also tend to:
- Eat healthier.
- Sleep better.
- Be more productive at work.
- Feel less stressed.
- Spend less money on impulse purchases.
They don't consciously focus on improving these other areas; it just happens as a natural consequence of their new exercise habit.
2. Making Your Bed Every Morning
In his book, Duhigg references a speech by Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, who said that making your bed every morning can give you a small sense of pride and encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. It reinforces the idea that the little things in life matter. While it may seem insignificant, it can be a powerful catalyst for a more organized and productive day.
3. Food Journaling
The act of writing down everything you eat is another powerful keystone habit. Duhigg's research found that people who tracked their food intake not only started to eat healthier but also often began to change other, unrelated patterns. They became more aware of their spending habits, for example. The act of tracking one area of life can spill over into others.
4. Family Dinners
Duhigg also highlights research showing that having regular family dinners is a keystone habit for raising successful children. For younger kids, it's a predictor of academic performance and for teenagers, it's correlated with better emotional control and confidence.
How to Find Your Own Keystone Habit
There is no universal list of keystone habits. The key is to find what works for you. To identify a potential keystone habit, look for behaviors that:
- Give you a sense of a "small win."
- Lead to other positive changes without you having to think about them.
- Relate to your core values and how you want to see yourself.
Think about one area of your life where a small change could have the biggest impact. That's likely a good place to start looking for your keystone habit.
Conclusion
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of changes you want to make in your life, focus on just one keystone habit. This single point of focus can create the momentum you need to make widespread, lasting change. By leveraging the power of keystone habits, you can achieve more with less effort.