The ultimate method to adopt new habits

There are dozens of celebrities that consider meditation to be one of the most important factors for their success. But is that enough proof for one to begin meditating?

It was not enough proof for me.

We are what we are, because of the vibrations of thought which we pick up and register, through the stimuli of our daily environment.

- Napoleon Hill

Let me start with a real example that illustrates how forming even the most challenging of habits is possible.

It took me three years to form the habit of meditating daily. As an aside for those who perceive meditation as a religious practice: it’s actually not religious at all! While it can be used for religious purposes, it’s main use is to encourage the development of mindfulness, so as to exercise your mind and allow it to be receptive to new ideas. It’s just like going to the gym, but for your mind.

There are over 1,000 studies that prove the numerous benefits of meditating.

My path

2012 — I went to my first meditation class. While I was definitely intrigued by the concept, I didn’t feel much motivation or interest afterward, so I didn’t pursue it.

September 2014 — I attempted my first 30-day meditation challenge. I did meditate ten minutes daily for 30 days but did not continue with it after that.

April 2015 — I attempted my second 30-day meditation challenge. Once again, I meditated ten minutes a day for 30 days but did not follow through once the challenge was over.

October 2015 — I started to meditate regularly.

While this illustrates the methods that didn’t help me pick up the habit of meditation, it doesn’t explain how, in 2015, I actually managed to begin meditating regularly.

Here’s how

• I met a friend who meditated regularly, which sparked my interest in it again.
• I read the biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger and found out that he meditated for more than a year before he became an actor. He attributed much of his success to meditating, saying that it developed his mind tremendously.
• I read an article that explained how Michael Jordan also attributed much of his success to meditation.
• I began to follow Mindvalley publications, which focused on self development and business development. Even they stressed the importance of meditation.
• I read two books about achieving happiness, and they both considered meditating to be the most effective method to reduce anxiety and calm the mind.
• I read a book called The New Psycho-Cybernetics and discovered the hidden power of our minds.
• I met yet another friend who meditated.
• I met a successful entrepreneur who shared with me how meditation changed him from being a stressed-out workaholic and a bad boss to a person who loves and appreciates life, and whom everyone enjoys being around.

These are just some of the occasions in which I was touched by the subject of meditation.

So you see, it’s not engaging in the action itself that creates a habit. It’s the environment we’re in while we’re trying to form that habit that determines whether we’ll be successful or not.

We know what we should do, but the change is almost impossible if our environment does not support us.

I only started to meditate because my environment supported it. By remaining in that supportive environment, I developed an internal belief in meditation.

You can create new, better habits that support your life goals. You can destroy bad habits that get you down. And when I say “habit,” I’m not just referring to a physical action. I’m also referring to emotions and feelings.

Motivation has nothing to do with this.

My principle is:

To become successful, you must be in a supportive environment. Remember, you have the power to create this environment.

With this idea in my mind, I designed a mobile application to remind me every day of the things that matter to me, like the best ideas from books such as 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Willpower Instinct, and more.

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