The 1st Law: Make It Obvious

Chapter 5: The Best Way to Start a New Habit

Implementation intention

The 1st Law of Behavior Change is to make it obvious with enough repetition.s

The implementation intention formula is: I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].

For example:

• Meditation. I will meditate for one minute at 7 a.m. in my kitchen.
• Studying. I will study Spanish for twenty minutes at 6 p.m. in my bedroom.
• Exercise. I will exercise for one hour at 5 p.m. in my local gym.
• Marriage. I will make my partner a cup of tea at 8 a.m. in the kitchen.

Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity. It is not always obvious when and where to take action. Some people spend their entire lives waiting for the time to be right to make an improvement.

Creating an implementation intention is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a specific time and location.

If you aren’t sure when to start your habit, try the first day of the week, month, or year. People are more likely to take action at those times because hope is usually higher.

Habit stacking

Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a current habit. You often decide what to do next based on what you have just finished doing.