1. Commit to 30 Days. If you make it through the first month, the habit will become automatic.

2. Do it Daily. Consistency is key, and the more often you engage in the habit, the better. For instance, if you’re trying to get into the habit of exercise, you should do some form of it every day for the first 30 days.

3. Start Simple. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself. So instead of trying to overhaul your whole diet, commit to first getting through the first page of my nutrition plan.

4. Use “But” Statements. If you start to think something negative about the habit, counter it with a “but” statement. For instance, “I’m no good at exercising,” becomes “I’m no good at exercising, but I’m just starting out and I’ll get better each day.”

5. Form a Trigger. Think of something you can do right before the habit so that it will “trigger” you into autopilot. So, if your habit is to go to bed earlier, washing your face and brushing your teeth can be the ritual you use to trigger your earlier bedtime.