10,000 steps and the 21-day habit

A fitness coach friend of mine revealed the secret of forming habits. He got my attention by saying, “Francis, in our business, we have what is called “The magic 8th month stretch” which is the main manifestation that the healthy habit of exercise is formed.”

Naturally, it got my attention, so I asked him to elaborate. This muscled gentleman with well-chiseled abs explained: “When a person frequents the gym and reaches his eighth months of doing so, he has developed a habit of healthy exercise such that missing it will make them sick, and they just need to exercise and voila! A new habit is formed.” Now let us put this on hold and let me tell you some other tales.

Motivational speakers during the ‘80s and the ‘90s began expressing “The 21-Day Habit.” (many of the younger “motivational speakers” still do today). But is this observation reliable?

Jessica Stillman writes an article for Inc.com, and this is what she says: Just because a data point is scientific and widely believed doesn’t mean it’s correct.

The famous 21-day requirement for a habit change comes from a 1960s book by a plastic surgeon and has no scientific basis. Stillman says this 10,000 steps idea that has launched many significant purchases of wearable fit gear (I must have owned at least seven of them) originally came from a Japanese marketing campaign. When scientists tested it, they discovered 10,000 has no particular significance.

While researchers worked their best to determine how a new habit is formed or how long it takes to stick, their efforts have always been marred by self-reported data. How often people say they go to the gym or floss their teeth is only sometimes accurate.

A recent study by a team of researchers from Caltech, the University of Chicago, and the University of Pennsylvania has revealed that this “magic number” is nothing more than a myth.

And so, the truth, according to them, is that there is no magic number for habit formation.

This finding is such a letdown for me, and my mind on “defensive mode” quickly challenged the validity of their results.

Stillman pointed out that this latest research relied on objective data. The team analyzed information on more than 12 million gym visits and 40 million automatically monitored hospital hand washes and then used machine learning to figure out how soon it took those habits to become predictable and habitual.

Armed with millions of data points and the rigor of computer-powered number crunching, the researchers came to an anticlimactic conclusion: There is no specific number of days required to form a new habit. The time it takes depends on the individual and the habit they’re trying to develop.

To illustrate this, it can take up to six months to establish a new exercise routine, while a hand-washing habit can be established in just a few weeks.

While this may be disheartening news for those hoping for a quick fix, it’s essential to recognize that forming a new habit is a process that takes time and effort. Knowing that it can take months to establish a new exercise routine, for example, can help you set realistic expectations and avoid getting discouraged if you’re still struggling after a few weeks.

Here is the good news. The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton business school has a whole lab devoted to the question, and that lab regularly releases its findings. The head of the lab even released a whole book entitled “How to Change in 2021.” Their research has shown that self-bribery can be an effective way to establish new habits.

Tech tools promise to help you reach your goals. Fitness gurus and motivational speakers offer suggestions and shortcuts. Many agree on a few basic principles:

* Focus more on the process than the end goal.

* Add a social component to whatever you’re doing.

* Do not underestimate the power of streaks and environmental cues (yes, hiding the cookies from yourself helps).

* Get to know your behavioral triggers.

Science may not be able to tell you exactly how many days it will take you to form a new habit. That depends on you, the habit, and your circumstances. But it can offer you support and guidance to make this transition period as short as possible. Stay committed to the process, form new habits, and achieve your goals. And as I constantly remind my seminar attendees. To succeed in whatever endeavors, ensure you understand that the process is more important than success.

(Francis Kong’s podcast “Inspiring Excellence” is now available on Spotify, Apple, Google, or other podcast streaming platforms.)