It’s commonly said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. I wish it was that simple. If so, we’d all be a lot closer to our view of perfection.

Can you make a new habit in 21 days? Yes, it might be enough for some habits. Things that are simple and don’t take a lot of effort. Maybe you want to drink more water. Start your morning by drinking a big glass of water and then carry a water bottle with you as a reminder. Do this for 21 days and you can likely make drinking more water an automatic practice.

Is 21 days long enough to make any habit? I doubt it; habits can be especially hard to change when the behavior requires a lot of effort or doesn’t have an immediate reward. What if you decide to get stronger and leaner? You might go for a nice walk every day and do strength training 3 times a week. After 21 days it still takes some effort. Consistency increases your chances of continuing to exercise, but it’s not likely to become automatic so easily. Take a week off and you might give it up entirely.

How long does it take you to create a new habit? What do you do to make things stick?