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Aristotle the Alchemist
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How to Replace Bad Habits with Good Ones: The Science of “Habit Management”


Few things are more difficult than kicking bad habits
or developing more positive ones. But it is definitely
worth the effort. Bad habits like smoking, overeating
or self-criticism shorten lives and lead to
underachievement, and unsuccessful attempts to
change them lower self-esteem.

In contrast, good habits create a kind of “success
auto-pilot,” leading to greater accomplishment with less
thought and less effort.

So how do you best eliminate bad habits and create
good ones? Research from the new field of “positive
psychology” – the scientific study of happy, successful
people – points to at least four proven techniques for
successful habit management.

1. Replace a bad habit with a good one. Completely
eliminating a habit is much harder than replacing it with
a more productive habit. Studies of people who
compulsively bite their fingernails have shown that it
is very difficult for them to completely give up their habit,
and much easier for them to substitute biting with the
more productive habit of grooming their nails.

Similarly, people who talk too much during
meetings struggle to become silent, but find it
much easier to replace their compulsive talking
with highly attentive listening.

2. Exercise. A habit of regular exercise is obviously
important for lasting weight loss. But you may not realize
that exercise helps in accomplishing a variety of goals, and
in eliminating a number of bad habits.

Frequent exercise helps break habits of overeating,
and in kicking all kinds of addictions, particularly if
exercise is substituted for an end-of-the-day cocktail
or cigarette. Among smokers who become competitive
runners, for example, over 80% give up smoking.

3. Reward success. The most fundamental law in all of
psychology is the “law of effect.” It simply states that
actions followed by rewards


are strengthened and likely
to recur. Unfortunately, studies show that people rarely
use this technique when trying to change personal habits.
Dieters, for example, routinely overlook weeks of exercise
and restrained eating, only to let a single lapse “snowball”
into a total relapse and complete collapse.

Setting up formal or informal rewards for success
greatly increases your chances of transforming bad
habits into good ones, and is far more effective than
punishing yourself for bad habits or setbacks.

4. Schedule your bad habits. If you are really struggling to
kick a bad habit, try limiting the habit to a specific time and
place. If you are struggling to quit cigarettes, allow yourself
to smoke from 9-9:30pm, and only in an uncomfortable
“smoking stool.” When the urge to smoke strikes, tell
yourself that you’ll have plenty of time to smoke during
your pre-scheduled smoking period. Research and case
studies confirm that this rather unconventional approach
can be a useful first step in changing bad habits.

Copyright © 2004 Stephen Kraus, Ph.D.

REFERENCES

The findings and recommendations in this article are
based on scientific research published in peer-reviewed
journals. For complete references, see Psychological
Foundations of Success: A Harvard-Trained Scientist
Separates the Science of Success from Self-Help
Snake Oil by Stephen Kraus, Ph.D.

About the Author

Success Scientist Dr. Stephen Kraus is author of Psychological
Foundations of Success: A Harvard-Trained Scientist Separates
the Science of Success from Self-Help Snake Oil. He was
recently featured in Conversations on Success, along with
Brian Tracy and Wally “Famous” Amos. Steve has a Ph.D. in
psychology from Harvard University. To contact him or
subscribe to his REAL Science of Success ezine, please visit http://www.RealScienceOfSuccess.com

 

Science/AAAS | Scientific research, news and career information
International weekly science journal, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
www.sciencemag.org
 
Science/AAAS | Table of Contents: 1 December 2006; 314 (5804)
This Week in Science: Editor summaries of this week's papers. Science 1 December 2006: 1349. ... 2006 American Association for the Advancement of Science. ...
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Science.gov : FirstGov for Science - Government Science Portal
Science.gov is a gateway to government science information provided by US Government science agencies, including research and development results.
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ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news and science ...
ScienceDaily -- the Internet's premier online science magazine and science news web site -- brings you the latest discoveries in science, health & medicine, ...
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Science News - New York Times
Find breaking news, science news & multimedia on biology, space, the environment, health, NASA, weather, drugs, heart disease, cancer, AIDS, mental health ...
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Science News Online
Weekly magazine offers featured articles from the current issue along with special online-only features. Includes photo collection, archives, ...
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Explore the fields of astronomy, biology, geology, mathematics, and physics and all of their related disciplines with resources designed for professionals, ...
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Agriculture (2454); Anomalies and Alternative Science (525); Astronomy (4208); Biology (20593); Chemistry (4852); Computer Science@ (2358) ...
dmoz.org
 
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Science - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sciences versus Science: the plural of the term is often used but is difficult to ... Science education is also a very vibrant field of study and research. ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
Popular Science
Monthly magazine about current science and technology.
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Science/AAAS | ScienceNOW: The Latest News Headlines from the ...
AAAS web magazine. Some free sample stories, subscription required for full text.
sciencenow.sciencemag.org
 
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Searchable database of jobs, sorted by field specialty. Can post resume and curriculum vitae. Includes tips for improving the workplace for employers and ...
sciencecareers.sciencemag.org
 
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Research news, issue papers. Educational programs, science policy (US and international).
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NASA - Science@NASA
News and features about NASA research, aimed at the general public. Includes sections on astronomy, space science, beyond rocketry, living in space, ...
science.nasa.gov
 
Science NetLinks: Resources for Teaching Science
Resources for K-12 science educators.
www.sciencenetlinks.com
 
Cool Science for Curious Kids
Fun and interactive site to help kids appreciate science. Why are snakes like lizards, and monkeys like moose? Find out here.
www.hhmi.org
 
Welcome to the Science Museum
London museum and library of science. Exhibitions cover all areas of science and technology. Includes online exhibits and a learning area.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
 
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Weekly science and technology news magazine, considered by some to be the world's best, with diverse subject matter. Articles from current issue and ...
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