How to start your habit chain reaction for a better life
Finding the keystone habit
Habit experts like Charles Duhigg, James Clear and Mark Manson may call them different names but they agree on the importance of finding keystone or compound habits and making them stick.
What are keystone habits?
Not all habits are created equal, some will generate a much bigger return on the energy and discipline you invest than others. They hold other habits in place (like the keystone in an archway) and, as you might anticipate, can be the catalyst for habit collapse if removed.
Keystone habits can be different for everyone
Life would be wonderful if it was as simple as choosing from a list of established habits, but keystone habits can be as unique and unusual as you are.
My keystone habit is to exercise for at least 20 minutes as soon as my alarm goes off at 6.30am. It doesn’t matter whether I run, do a yoga practice or swing a kettlebell, it’s more about the sense of achievement, the reinforcement of myself as a “someone who has a healthy lifestyle” and having a “small win” early in the day. On the days I exercise early, my day just flows better, I choose better fuel for my body - a banana rather than a biscuit. I am more energised to “eat the frog” - that big task on on the to do list and my stress levels remain in check. This domino effect on other habits and reinforcement of the identity I want to have are two of the key elements defining a keystone habit - that first domino in the chain. The one worthy of investing effort and energy into knowing that the resulting ripple effect brings rewards way beyond that initial investment.
How to identify your keystone habits
To find your keystone habits:
look for behaviours that have a ripple effect on other behaviours
consider how you see yourself when you do a particular habit - does it reinforce or reduce your self image as “a runner” “ a healthy eater” “a productive person”
think back to your perfect day and keep a note of what felt like a small win or keep a note of small wins over a week and then look for a pattern - what did you do consistently on those days
Habits can be positive or negative. Keystone habits can reinforce good habits or enable destructive bad habits. Use this matrix adapted from one created by Matt Lewin’s article on Medium.com to reflect on your habits. The presence of a “good” keystone habits will inhabit the right hand side of the matrix.
Keystone Habit Matrix