Ever wondered why bad habits are so difficult to break? Or why does it seem like certain people achieve success so easily while others don’t have that, no matter how hard you try? The secret is in how your brain is wired — the bad news is that we can change it!
You are your supercomputer brain. Every time an action is performed, the neural connections reinforce and become stronger. And this is why bad habits are entrenched, and good habits first feel difficult. Yet, with the proper strategies, you can retrain your brain to succeed — much the same way you’d learn a new skill.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
✅ How the brain forms habits
Therefore, it is not a rocket science, users hack their qualities and live their lives in dogmas.
✅ The power of neuroplasticity (how to rewire your mind)
✅ Why the compound effect turns small habits into life changers
✅ Nutrition and brain health in the context of success
✅ Scientific and step-by-step methods to develop better habits
Let’s dive in!
Why We Get Stuck: The Brain and Habits
Your brain is designed to operate efficiently. Each time you repeat an action, your neurons lay down pathways, making the behavior automatic. That’s good for good habits, but a nightmare for bad ones.
How It Works:
Part of your brain called the basal ganglia stores habits.
Neural pathways get stronger the more you repeat something.
When you perform a behavior, the brain rewards you with dopamine (the feel-good chemical).
e.g. By the time you check your phone first thing in the morning your brain tears up that dopamine hit every single morning! This makes it hard to stop.
A Scientific Insight: Habits are formed in cue-routine-reward loops, according to a study in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews The first step toward changing these loops is recognizing them.
YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO REWIRE YOURSELF WITH NEUROPLASTICITY!
Your brain’s not set in stone — it’s subject to neuroplasticity. That means you can retrain your brain to create better habits, lower procrastination and boost success.
How to Take Advantage of Neuroplasticity
- Step 1: Identify and Interrupt the Pattern
Awareness is key. First, recognize your bad habit.
❓ Ask Yourself:
What triggers this habit? (Stress? Boredom? Social media?)
How does my brain reward me? (Relaxation? Instant gratification?)
Action Step: For the next 3–5 days, write down your habits in a habit journal and identify the triggers behind your habits.
- Replace, Don’t Erase
Your brain doesn’t like to give up habits cold turkey. Find other positive alternatives instead.
Example: If you tend to reach for junk food when you are stressed, swap in a quick walk or deep breathing.
Why It Works: The brain learns through associations. If a new habit provides you with a reward, it will persist.
- The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success
This is known as the compound effect which suggests that small actions taken regularly can lead to huge results in the long-run.
It’s explaining how little improvements compound over time. For example, to say that if you get just 1% better every day you’ll end up 37 times better in a year. How to Apply It:
✅ 5 pages of a book daily → 18 books in one year.
✅ Walk 10 minutes each day → That’s 60 hours of movement each year.
✅ Make it a goal to save $5 a day → That’s $1,825 in a year.
Or rather, success isn’t about willpower, it’s about consistency. - Use the 2-Minute Rule
If a new habit feels too intimidating, make baby steps.
Example:
Want to exercise? Do one push-up.
Want to read? Read one page.
Want to meditate? Sit for two minutes.
This fools your brain into gaining momentum.
- Visualize Your Future Self
Your brain has no way of knowing that real experiences differ from imagined ones. That’s why elite athletes and entrepreneurs do visualization to train their minds.
Action Step:
Take 2 minutes each morning and whenever you can imagine yourself winning on your new habit.
● Why It Works: Neuroscientists discovered that mental rehearsal builds up all the same neural pathways as actually practicing.
- Optimize Nutrition and Brain Health
To function, your brain requires sustenance. Poor nutrition can slow you down, dampen motivation and ramp up stress and anxiety — all of which make bad habits even harder to break.
Foods That Help You Succeeded (Brain-Boosting):
✅ Omega-3 Fatty Acids (salmon, flaxseeds) → Effective for focus and memory
✅ Leafy Greens ( spinach, kale ) → Slow down brain aging
✅ Nuts & Seeds (walnuts, almonds) → Enhance cognitive function
✅ Berries (blueberries, strawberries) → Neuron wielder
✅ Dark Chocolate (70%+ cocoa) → Increases dopamine and cognition
Tip: Stay hydrated! Even 2% dehydration can affect cognitive performance. - Turn It Into A Habit (Habit Stacking)
Your brain loves routines. Anchor your new habit on something you already do.
Example:
Want to journal? Do it immediately after brushing your teeth.
Want to stretch? Do it before your morning coffee.
Want to practice gratitude? Do it before you look at your phone.
Why It Works: The brain connects new habits to old ones, helping them take hold more quickly.
Conclusion: Small Tweaks for Big Wins
Success is not about one day waking up a different person—it’s the little, daily changes that seemingly compound to create a person who hasn’t even changed, just evolved.
Key Takeaways:
✅ Your brain learns bad or good habits through longevity.
Flexibility — ✅ You can rewire yourself with neuroplasticity.
✅ Small habits compound into life-changing ones.
✅ Good nutrition feeds the brain ideal for optimal function and motivation.
✅ You can’t rely on motivation—go with tiny, passive actions, daily.
– Why not try one of these techniques today! What are you trying to change and how? Let me know what you think in the comments!
References
Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Random House.
James, C. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin.
Hebb, D. O. (1949). A Neuropsychological Theory of Organization of Behavior Wiley.
The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. Penguin Press.
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2016. Schedules of reinforcement and habit formation.