Why do we have to take a baby step to accomplish a big goal?

Hello. I finished showing seven studying techniques that are proven to be effective from a scientific point of view. I hope those effective methods will be helpful for you learn anything. I keep letting you know such an useful information. Then, let me get under way to today’s topic. But before discussing that, I’m just curious of how many of you have your own habit or tried to make a good habit. I guess you have given up your habit of waking up early in the morning and taking a walk after three weeks due to giving in to temptation of sleeping for more hours. However, this is not due to low willpower bit to the complicated system in your brain. 

・What is the percentage of activity that we are unconsciously doing. 

The surprising fact is that more than 80 percent of actions are automated, which means that we do those actions without talking cautions. Automated actions include both good habits, such as walking and bad habits, such as smoking. That is why there is no exaggeration to say that our lives are dramatically affected by our habits. However, it is not a easy thing for us to change habits. 

・Limblic system and Cerebral neocortex 

I guess some of you get confused with those technical words, but those two parts of the brain play a major role in making a habit. Limblic system is a part of the brain that functions as taking feelings and instincts. In particular, when receiving negative feelings, such as anxiety and fear, it works activately. Cerebral neocortex serves as a place to control and cope with various feelings with logical judgement that is a humane act. How do those parts affect you in making your habits. 

・Limblic system vs Cerebral neocortex 

As I said before, negative feelings, such as anxiety and fear activate limblic system in a terrible way. That is, limblic system shows a refusing response to a tremendous change. This is greatly related to the process of making a habit. On the other hand, cerebral neocortex usually plays a part of controlling those negative feelings. but if those feelings are too big, it can’t deal with them any more. For example, you have decided to do sit-ups 50 times a day. In this case, limblic system takes an refusing reaction to that big change, which makes it difficult for cerebral neocortex to cope with that. Anxiety and fear, therefore, becomes larger and larger, so you can’t put it into action. Then, I think you come to realize how we should make a good habit.

・The first step should be a tiny step

What we have to do is to make a first step to take smaller so that limblic system can’t feel anxiety and fear caused by a big change. As a matter of fact, if small problems are slowly but surely accumulated over a long time, it will become a huge problem that we can’t tackle with. However, you should keep in your mind that small improvements are built over and over again, you will be able to accomplish big goals.To achieve a extremely big goal initially is the same as putting an apple into a hole of bottle of 500 milliliter of water. But, that is, of course, impossible. So, it is of importance that a big apple be sliced to make it smaller. That means starting to take a tiny step and accumulate it over a long time are key to accomplish your ambition. Then, what do we have to set a small goal?

・Make sure to take a tiny step at the first try.

Ex)

30 times sits-up a day→3 times sits-up before sleeping.

Get up at 5 A.M. →Get up at 10 minutes earlier than yesterday.

Write a diary every day →write one sentence every day 

First of all, all you have to do is just keep doing what you have decided to do without stopping, no matter what easy habits you try to do. If feeling resistance, you just have to make it easier for you to achieve without feeling procrastination. 

Just do it first!