The Psychology of Habits and the Art of Changing Them
The human brain, which constantly analyzes the environment and collects information, is unique. One of its most interesting properties is the ability to identify periodically recurring events and important signals, to which it automatically responds.
This process is both useful and potentially harmful. It is useful in that it helps us perform daily tasks efficiently, but it becomes harmful when actions are completely unconscious and carried out subconsciously. As Carl Jung noted, “Until you make the subconscious conscious, it directs your life, and you call it fate.”
Understanding our subconscious motives, habits, and reactions helps us break free from patterned behaviors, make better decisions, take care of our emotional health, and live more purposefully.
Change strategies help us understand these issues. Here is an overview of one effective method:
Habit Assessment Table Methodology
The Habit Assessment Table is a systematic approach to analyzing behavior. To use this method effectively, you need to go through the following steps:
Detailed description of everyday habits and categorization of each of them:
Positive (+): promotes personal growth
Negative (-): hinders development
Neutral (=): does not have much impact
After the description and categorization, it is important to analyze them, because there are no absolutely good or bad habits – there are only effective habits that provide effective problem solving. The key question when assessing a habit is: “Does this habit help me become the person I want to be?”
To assess the effectiveness of a habit, we need to understand how long-term the consequences of the behaviors that follow a particular habit are, whether it is compatible with personal goals, and what impact it has on health and well-being. Only after understanding all of this should we begin the process of changing behavior.
It is important to remember that change does not begin with self-criticism, but with honest self-observation and conscious action.