A big part of achieving your goals is breaking bad habits - so here are eight tips for breaking out of your routine and
getting what you want out of life!

Tips for Breaking Bad Habits

1. Determine what you want to change. To achieve your goals and break bad habits, you need to know where you’re
going. “Start fresh by getting clear about what you want,” says Dr Herman. “What is your heart’s desire? What do you
want to accomplish or attain? If nothing was holding you back from realizing your dreams, what would make you happy?”

2. Examine your current approach. What are you presently doing, and is it taking you closer to or away from your goals?
“Don’t stay with what has been safe and comfortable,” says Dr Herman. Be ruthless when you look at your current
approach, and eliminate the obstacles to creating healthy habits.

3. Make a specific plan. To achieve your goals and break bad habits, be clear and specific. If you want to quit smoking,
for instance, figure out the exact steps that will get you there - whether that’s seeing a doctor, researching the
nicotine patch, or taking up jogging (I took up jogging, and after a year my cravings passed! It was a tough row to
hoe…).

4. Seek practical solutions. “If you’re afraid of swimming or lack the skill to play tennis, take lessons,” says Dr Herman.
“Don’t find fault with yourself. Find out what you have to do to achieve your goal and do it.” To break bad habits, find
practical ways to deal with your behaviors and cravings.

5. Implement healthy substitutions. Here’s my most recently-realized tip for breaking my bad habit of binging on unhealthy
foods: don’t force yourself to stop what you’re compelled to do. Instead, ride the horse in the direction it’s going! For
me, this means I give in to my nervous eating habit - but instead of munching on potato chips and cookies, I delve into
apples, raisons, grapes, and canned peas (don’t ask. It works for me, and that’s what counts!). My substitutions satisfy
my emotional needs, which keeps me motivated to achieve my goals.

6. Try different things. “If we continue doing the same things, we will get the same results,” says Dr Herman. When
you’re working to achieve your goals, you need to try different ways to break your bad habits. He says, “If what you try
does not work out - then try again! There is no such thing as a failure. Failed attempts are simply practicing to get
things right.”

7. Find your tribe. Here’s a tip from a life coach: “Get supportive folks in your camp,” says life coach Laura Berman
Fortgang, author of Take Yourself to the Top. “Join a group of like-minded folks, team up with a good friend, hire a coach
or otherwise include people who want the best for you and will keep you on track.” If you know someone who wants to
break their bad habits and achieve goals in life, invite him or her to be an accountability buddy. Check in with each other
regularly to make sure you’re on track.

8. Reward yourself. This is the most pleasant tip for breaking bad habits: celebrate your successes! Rewarding yourself
regularly keeps you energized, motivated, and more likely to achieve your goals. My favorite rewards are weekend
getaways or overseas vacations…but I also love full-body massages and sushi dinners. To stay motivated to achieve
your goals, reward yourself in big and little ways