5 Ways to Actually Make Your Habits Stick (Evidence-Based)

Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Mel Robbins' podcast on making habits stick, backed by science and practical wisdom for lasting behavior change.

1. You are what you repeatedly do

Your habits define who you are. The patterns you repeat daily shape your identity and your life. This isn't just about what you should be doing - it's about who you want to become. When you marry your vision of the person you want to be with new patterns you want to learn, your habits become part of your identity.

Most people quit new habits around day 19. Success comes from thinking about who you want to become rather than what you should do. For example, instead of thinking "I should stop hitting the snooze button," think "I want to become someone who prioritizes their time and takes care of themselves."

2. Missing a day doesn't reset your progress

Research shows that missing a day does not impact your progress or ability to make habits stick. The neural pathways you create when starting a new habit remain intact even if you miss a day or two.

What derails people is the "what the hell effect" - the mindset where one mistake leads to giving up entirely. This happens when you think, "I just had one slice of cake when my goal was no sugar, so what the hell, I'll have more." This negative spiral can be avoided by appreciating the moment, then getting back on track immediately.

3. Become an "outie organizer" instead of an "innie organizer"

Stop keeping behavior change in your head. "Innie organizers" try to manage everything mentally, while "outie organizers" create external systems to support change. The three parts of a habit are the cue, the behavior pattern, and the reward.

Getting the cue or trigger outside of your head and into the world is crucial for making behaviors stick. This means creating physical reminders and systems instead of relying on willpower or memory. When you stop trying to remember everything and start using external systems, consistency becomes much easier.

4. Make it visible

Rearrange your environment to support your goals rather than rearranging your mental to-do list. Place physical reminders in places you can't miss, like taping your goals to your bathroom mirror or placing your water bottle by the coffee maker.

Physical reminders work because they reduce decision fatigue and lower "activation energy" - the force needed to start an activity. Harvard Business School research shows that when we make decisions for our future selves, we make better choices than when deciding in the moment.

Setting alarms on your phone with specific labels can also serve as powerful reminders. Research shows people who received regular reminder messages were twice as likely to succeed with habit changes like quitting smoking.

5. Remove temptation from sight

For habits you want to break, make them harder to access. Get temptations out of sight and slightly more inconvenient to reach. This small barrier often provides just enough friction to prevent unwanted behaviors.

For example, if you struggle with phone addiction, remove it from your bedroom. If you're trying to eat healthier, put treats in closed containers or hard-to-reach places. A study at Google found that simply putting lids on candy bowls resulted in 3 million fewer M&Ms eaten over a year.

This works because making temptations slightly more inconvenient creates a moment of pause that allows your better judgment to kick in before indulging in the unwanted habit.

6. Track your progress visibly

To know if you're on track, you must track your progress outside of your mind. Create a visual system like a grid of post-it notes, check boxes, or use an app - whatever works for your personality.

The key is making progress visible and tangible. Research shows that the more often you track your progress, the greater your likelihood of success. Your chances improve even more when you record progress physically or share it publicly.

Visible tracking also helps you notice when you've missed days and empowers you to get back on track quickly. It creates accountability and provides the dopamine hit of seeing your progress accumulate over time.

7. Create a detailed plan

Planning is critical for habit success. Research from UT Austin shows you're more likely to succeed at behavior change when you make specific implementation plans. This means scheduling exactly when, where, and how you'll perform your new habits.

This is especially important when your routine changes, like during travel or unusual weather conditions. Planning ahead prevents the "I'll do it later" trap that often leads to not doing it at all. Keeping your word to yourself builds integrity and makes you feel proud.

Planning also includes "if-then" strategies for when obstacles arise. Columbia University research shows that "if-then" planning boosts exercise adherence from 39% to 91%. For example: "If it rains, then I'll do an indoor workout instead."

8. Do it in the morning

Morning is when your willpower, processing speed, and focus are highest. It's also typically the time of day you have the most control over before other demands take over.

Getting up early acts as a "domino habit" that triggers positive behaviors throughout your day. While it may require going to bed earlier or adjusting your schedule, the benefits of having that uninterrupted time for your most important habits can be transformative.

If morning routines are challenging, strategies like keeping your phone out of the bedroom, getting a pet that needs early attention, or partnering with an early riser can help establish this powerful habit foundation.

9. Systems beat willpower

Relying on willpower alone is a recipe for failure. Instead, create systems that make your desired behaviors easier and unwanted behaviors harder. These systems work by removing the mental burden of decision-making and reducing friction for positive habits.

External systems prevent you from having to rely on memory or motivation, both of which fluctuate daily. When the cue for your habit exists outside your mind, you're much more likely to follow through consistently even on days when your motivation is low.

This approach recognizes that you're human, not a robot, and builds in supports that account for normal fluctuations in energy and willpower.

10. Your environment shapes your behavior

Your physical environment has a powerful influence on your behavior. By deliberately designing your surroundings to support your goals, you can make habit change dramatically easier.

This might mean rearranging furniture, changing what's visible in your home, or modifying your digital environment. The principle applies everywhere - from your kitchen to your workspace to your phone's home screen.

When your environment consistently cues your desired behaviors, those patterns become increasingly automatic over time. This works because you're leveraging your brain's natural tendency to respond to environmental cues rather than fighting against it.