Everyday Systems: nosdiet: message 2118 of 3212

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Hi Deb,

--- Debbie Feder <deborahfederlmt@...> wrote:
> I feel it would help me 
> completely embrace the 3 week regimen better, if I
> really knew 
> the "why" behind that number. If you say, "I pulled
> it out of a 
> hat" or "I just like things that come in threes" I
> will 
> wholeheartedly accept it...but for some weird
> reason, I am feeling 
> like I am missing an important part of the puzzle.

I didn't *completely* pull it out of a hat, but I'm
not
aware that there's any scientific evidence to support
it. 3 weeks to form a habit is one of the truisms of
self help lit. Is it exactly right for everyone? Not a
chance. But I think it's about right for most people.
It's small enough to be attainable, but big enough to
cut a significant behavioral groove. Habit isn't "on"
or "off." It's a question of degree. And 3 weeks of
strict behavior will give pretty much everyone, I
think, a very good degree, enough so that willpower
can
start to relax a bit and redeploy to other tasks.

So why do I harp on this specific number if it's
obviously mushier than that? Because you need a goal,
the goal needs to be specific, and in the absence of
hard evidence custom tailored to you, 3 weeks is as
good a number you're going to get. It's proverbial,
it's specific, it's numerologically attractive (don't
knock the psychological power of this fact), it's long
enough, and it's short enough. What if it really takes
you only 2 weeks? Then great, being ahead of schedule
is nothing to complain about. What if it really takes
you four? Well, you're much likelier to get there
after week 3 than at week 0. You'll be closer and at
least somewhat stronger. If you'd known it was four
you might not have bothered starting.

I don't hear from too many people who've made it to 3
weeks strict and then fallen off. People who fall off
do so way before then. I'll reconsider my number if
this changes.

Reinhard