Small Steps, Big Changes|The Power of Habits | Saurabh Bothra | TEDxYouth@TheShriramMillenniumNoida

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of developing good habits for physical and professional success, contrasting the ease of brushing teeth with the difficulty of exercising due to habit formation. They share their personal journey of teaching yoga online, which grew from three to thousands of attendees, highlighting the power of consistency over setting high targets. The talk offers three practical tips for habit formation: avoiding the 'All or Nothing' trap, setting intentions, and creating a positive identity by joining supportive groups.

Takeaways

• 😁 **Importance of Habits:** The speaker emphasizes that habits play a crucial role in our daily lives, affecting everything from physical fitness to professional success.
• 🏋️ **Exercise vs. Teeth Brushing:** The comparison between brushing teeth and exercising highlights how habits become easier with consistency, whereas lack of routine makes activities like exercise seem difficult.
• ⏰ **Autopilot Mode:** It's noted that 40-60% of our day is on autopilot, which can lead to unproductive habits unless we consciously build better ones.
• 🌟 **Consistency Over Motivation:** The speaker stresses the importance of consistency over motivation, as motivation can be fleeting, while consistency builds lasting habits.
• 📈 **Progress Over Time:** The example of the yoga sessions shows how starting small and being consistent can lead to significant growth over time, from three to thousands of participants.
• 🏅 **Guinness Record:** The speaker's online yoga class achieved a Guinness record, demonstrating the power of habit and consistency on a large scale.
• 🚫 **Avoiding the All or Nothing Trap:** The advice to avoid doing everything at once and instead taking small steps is given as a strategy to build sustainable habits.
• 📝 **Setting Intentions:** Setting clear intentions by deciding when, where, and how to perform an activity increases the likelihood of following through with it.
• 🌱 **Positive Self-Talk:** The speaker advises against negative self-talk and suggests joining groups that align with one's goals to foster a positive identity and support habit formation.
• 🔁 **Building Identity Through Habits:** The ultimate goal is not just to build habits but to form an identity around them, which becomes a self-sustaining cycle of positive behavior.

Q & A

Why is brushing teeth a common practice while regular exercise is not for many?

Brushing teeth is a common practice because it has become a habit, whereas exercise is not a habit for many, making it seem difficult. The script suggests that habits like brushing teeth are easier because they are ingrained, while exercise is not yet a routine for most people.

What percentage of our day is spent on autopilot mode according to the speaker?

The speaker mentions that almost 40 to 60% of our day, and even up to 90% for some people, is spent in autopilot mode.

Why is consistency important when it comes to building habits, as discussed in the script?

Consistency is important because it transforms activities into habits, which then become automatic and require less mental effort. The speaker emphasizes that without consistency, it's challenging to achieve physical fitness, professional success, or learn new skills.

What significant milestone did the speaker achieve in their online yoga teaching?

The speaker achieved the milestone of teaching an online yoga class with 279,400 attendees, which also led to a Guinness World Record for the largest online yoga class.

How did the speaker manage to maintain their habit of teaching yoga every day despite personal challenges?

The speaker maintained the habit by following a routine and ensuring they took their yoga session every single day, even during personal challenges such as illness or injury.

What is the difference between good and bad habits formation according to the script?

Good habits are difficult to form because they often require initial effort and do not provide immediate pleasure or results. Bad habits are easier to form because they typically provide instant gratification and do not have immediate negative consequences.

What are the three simple things one can do to make a good habit easier, as suggested by the speaker?

The three things suggested by the speaker are: 1) Avoid the All or Nothing trap by starting with small steps, 2) Set an intention by deciding and planning the when, where, and how of the habit, and 3) Create a positive self-identity by joining groups that align with the desired habit.

Why is it advised not to rely on motivation alone when starting a new habit?

It is advised not to rely on motivation alone because motivation can be fleeting. When motivation is high, people often take on too much, leading to failure when motivation drops. Instead, forming a habit should be based on consistent, small actions that are sustainable.

How can setting an intention increase the likelihood of performing an activity?

Setting an intention increases the likelihood by 40% because it involves making a decision ahead of time, planning the specifics, and often sharing the plan with others, which creates accountability and clarity.

What role does identity play in habit formation as discussed in the script?

Identity plays a crucial role in habit formation because once a person adopts a new identity, such as being a 'morning person' or a 'yoga person', they are more likely to consistently engage in behaviors that align with that identity without needing external motivation.

How does the speaker suggest using a group to support habit formation?

The speaker suggests joining a group where the desired habit is a normal behavior. This helps in creating an identity and provides a supportive environment that reinforces the habit, making it easier to maintain.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Building Habits for Success

The speaker begins by contrasting the common habit of brushing teeth with the less frequent habit of exercising, questioning why we prioritize one over the other. They argue that the key difference lies in habit formation. Brushing teeth is easy because it's habitual, while exercise is seen as tough due to lack of consistent practice. The speaker emphasizes that habits are crucial for various aspects of life, including physical fitness and professional success. They share their personal journey of teaching yoga online, starting with a small audience and growing to a large following through daily consistency. The narrative highlights the power of habits and the impact of consistency, regardless of initial small beginnings.

05:00

🚫 Avoiding the All or Nothing Trap

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the challenges of forming good habits and the common pitfalls people encounter. They explain that bad habits are easier to form because they provide immediate pleasure and lack severe consequences when done occasionally. Conversely, good habits are harder to start because they may not be enjoyable initially and don't show immediate results. The speaker advises against the 'All or Nothing' mentality, where people set high goals at the beginning but fail to maintain them. Instead, they suggest starting with small, manageable actions that can be consistently performed, even when motivation is low.

10:02

📅 The Power of Setting Intentions

The speaker continues by highlighting the importance of setting intentions to build and maintain habits. They explain that while motivation is important, it's not enough to sustain a habit; intention is key. By deciding in advance when, where, and how to perform an action, one is more likely to follow through. The speaker suggests that setting clear intentions can increase the likelihood of taking action by 40%. They also touch on the idea of avoiding negative self-talk and the significance of surrounding oneself with a supportive environment that aligns with one's goals.

15:04

🌱 Cultivating Identity Through Habits

In the final paragraph, the speaker concludes by emphasizing the role of habits in shaping one's identity. They argue that the ultimate goal is not just to build habits but to develop an identity that aligns with one's aspirations. By consistently practicing a habit, it becomes a part of one's identity, making it easier to maintain. The speaker encourages joining groups that reflect one's desired identity, as this can significantly influence behavior. They leave the audience with the message that the habits one builds today will determine their future.

Keywords

💡Habit

A habit is a routine behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of habits in achieving physical fitness, professional success, and learning. The video suggests that habits are the backbone of consistency and are crucial for long-term success. The speaker uses the example of brushing teeth, which is an easy habit, compared to exercising, which is difficult until it becomes a habit.

💡Autopilot mode

Autopilot mode refers to the mental state where actions are performed without conscious awareness or effort. The speaker mentions that a significant portion of our day is spent in autopilot mode, such as mindlessly scrolling on a mobile phone. This concept is used to illustrate how habits can be formed unconsciously and how breaking out of this mode can be challenging but necessary for habit formation.

💡Consistency

Consistency is the act of doing something in a regular, continuous, and uninterrupted manner. The video highlights that consistency is key to forming habits and achieving success in any endeavor. The speaker's own journey of teaching yoga daily, even through personal challenges, exemplifies the power of consistency in building a successful habit.

💡Physical fitness

Physical fitness refers to the ability to perform daily tasks efficiently and with enough energy to engage in occasional vigorous physical activity. The video uses physical fitness as a primary example of a goal that requires consistent habits, such as regular exercise, to achieve and maintain.

💡Professional success

Professional success is the accomplishment of one's goals and aspirations within a chosen career. The speaker implies that professional success is not just about talent or luck but also about the habits one forms and maintains, which can lead to long-term achievements in one's career.

💡Yoga

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in ancient India and aims to transform body and mind. In the video, yoga serves as a central example of a habit that the speaker has consistently practiced, leading to significant growth in their online teaching platform and personal development.

💡All or Nothing trap

The All or Nothing trap is a mindset where individuals believe they must fully commit to a change or give up entirely. The speaker warns against this mentality, suggesting that it can lead to failure in habit formation. Instead, the speaker advocates for starting with small, manageable actions that can be sustained over time.

💡Intention

Intention refers to a deliberate plan or determined purpose to perform a specific action. The video suggests that setting intentions is a powerful tool for habit formation. By deciding in advance when, where, and how to perform an action, individuals are more likely to follow through, as the speaker illustrates with the example of deciding to do yoga the next day.

💡Negative self-talk

Negative self-talk is the act of speaking to oneself in a negative or unproductive manner. The speaker advises against negative self-talk, as it can reinforce undesired behaviors and identities. Instead, the speaker encourages positive self-identity and language to support the formation of good habits.

💡Identity

Identity in the context of the video refers to the self-concept or the way a person perceives themselves. The speaker argues that forming habits is not just about the actions themselves but about adopting a new identity that aligns with the desired behavior. For example, by identifying as a 'yoga person,' the speaker was able to maintain the habit of practicing yoga consistently.

💡Group dynamics

Group dynamics are the ways in which interactions and behaviors are influenced by being part of a group. The speaker suggests that joining a group that aligns with one's desired habits can help reinforce those habits and create a new identity. The group's behaviors and attitudes can significantly influence an individual's own habits and identity.

Highlights

The importance of habits in daily life and their impact on physical and professional success.

The contrast between the ease of brushing teeth and the difficulty of exercising due to habit formation.

The concept that habits are formed through consistent repetition, not just motivation.

The speaker's personal journey of teaching yoga online and the growth from three to thousands of attendees.

The idea that habits become easier with time and can lead to unexpected achievements.

The psychological explanation of why bad habits are easier to form than good ones.

Advice on starting good habits with small, manageable steps to avoid the 'All or Nothing' trap.

The significance of setting intentions to increase the likelihood of habit formation.

The role of identity creation in habit building and how it leads to consistency.

The power of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals to reinforce desired habits.

The speaker's experience with building a daily yoga habit despite physical challenges.

The practical advice on making exercise a habit by starting with short sessions.

The importance of not relying on motivation alone but also on consistent action.

The speaker's strategy for maintaining consistency in teaching yoga through various life obstacles.

The transformative effect of habit-building on personal and professional growth.

The speaker's encouragement to focus on building processes and habits rather than aiming for specific targets.

The impact of habits on reaching a wider audience, as illustrated by the speaker's online yoga classes.

Transcripts

[Music]

so I'll begin with a

question did you brush your teeth

today I hope yes and uh if I ask you why

you would probably say cavities or my

mouth should not smell and who doesn't

brush teeth today in in today's time

right but if I have to ask you another

question did you exercise

today ah come

on I know for a fact 80% of of us don't

do exercise every single day but when

you say that I brush my teeth because I

want to care for my oral health we don't

do exercise when it comes to our

physical health why you might say that

brushing our teeth is pretty easy but

exercise is tough no here is where we

are wrong brushing our teeth is easy

because it has become our habit and

exercise is difficult for us why because

we have not yet developed it as an habit

okay

almost 40 to 60% of our day goes into

autopilot mode like you use your mobile

phone you keep scrolling and you don't

even realize when it is half an hour 1

Hour 2 hours and then suddenly you

realize oh my God I wasted so much time

this happens every single day we are on

autopilot mode for 40 to 60% even 90%

for some people so here is what is

important when you talk about

habits it's the the most important thing

if you talk about physical fitness if

you talk about your professional success

or if you talk about anything that you

want to learn unless and until it

becomes part of our habit or I would say

if unless we are consistent with it it's

not going to work for us and I'm sure we

have had our experiences now let me tell

you why I talk about habits so much and

what has it created in my life so I

started teaching yoga online I was

teaching it before also but I started

teaching it online 22nd March 2020 the

day of lockdown that was day one and I

had three people joining my yoga session

after

1,63 days where I have taken a live

session every single day even after I

had dingu I had Co twice I had a knee

injury or I have fallen sick once in a

while still I ensured that I follow a

routine I take my yoga session every

single day in the morning today I had

279 ,40 people attending a live yoga

session

now thank

you this is absolutely magical if you

tell someone when you are teaching three

people in an online medium that one day

you will be teaching three lakh people

they would probably think you're joking

and that was the case with me also I did

not realize or I did not even think or

even aim in my life that I would want to

teach three lakh people people in an

online yoga session but it happened why

not because I wanted to come first like

we do in our classes or I wanted to

reach X number of people I just wanted

to follow a habit of teaching every

single day now the interesting part is

of course uh we just heard that we have

the online largest online yoga class we

have a Guinness record on that but the

interesting part is not this the

interesting part is on day one I had

three people on after one year of

regular teaching I had 120 people in my

yoga

session after 2 years I had 1,30 people

after 3 years I was at 81,000 here I

have stopped expecting anything more

than what I have in my life I was so

happy but when you are happy and you

continue following the process this is

what

happens in any habit when you start

doing it consistently you never get

results never if it's a good habit by

the way

uh whenever we keep doing it keep doing

it keep doing it you keep improving on

it magic happens and I still don't

believe today that I'm teaching three

lakh people in an online session we have

in the past four years we have touched

60 lakh people can you just imagine how

many people we have taught and honestly

speaking when I was teaching three

people in my first class I thought the

maximum that I can teach teach is 1,000

that was an impossible number you say

now that you aim for the moon and then

you reach the sky some some prb like

that but this is phenomenal and that's

why I keep telling people that focus on

building a process building a habit and

becoming consistent rather than aiming

for your Target because your target will

always be limited by your mind you will

be able to think oh I want to just Excel

or I want to come first in my classroom

but the the life is much much more

beyond that

yeah so now the obvious question is bad

habits are so simple right you just keep

scrolling

and time is gone but when you want to

build a good habit it is challenging of

course yes what is the difference or why

is a bad habit easy and why is it a good

habit difficult or challenging the

answer is pretty straightforward

whenever you do something which is bad

so now uh we have to also Define bad bad

is not necessary neily bad like

scrolling your mobile phone or eating a

junk food is not necessarily bad but we

consider that for some time as a bad

habit whenever you are doing something

like eating pizza burger or anything

junk you get some pleasure

right and the second point is you don't

have any negative impact if you do it

once if you know that eating cyanide is

poisonous and it's going to take your

life you will never dare to eat it

but eating a pizza is

not once it's not but if you build it as

a habit eventually you end up having a

sedentary lifestyle similarly for good

habits doing a good habit might not

necessarily be pleasurable or rather

starting a good habit let's take example

for exercise

starting that that initial momentum of

exercise is really difficult but once

you do it you might feel that oh yeah

I'm feeling more energetic I'm feeling

more flexible great but starting is

always

tough and second point is there is no

immediate result you do exercise once

nothing

happens you do it twice nothing happens

you do it Thrice one month two month

probably not like that result that you

might be expecting that's

why bad habits are easy to form and good

habits are difficult to form they are

not difficult necessarily it's just like

brushing your teeth and surpr

surprisingly you know what brushing your

teeth is easy but brushing your teeth

before going to bed is still tough

because it's not your

habit and exercise can also become a

habit and it can become very easy for

you we have seen it across three lakh

people join my

sessions average daily attendance in our

classes is

70% you would not even get like in an

offline setup if 10 people have joined a

yoga session seven people don't come but

in an online setup building a habit

becomes so so easy and people want to

exercise with

us and why does that happen how do you

make a good habit easy this is what I'm

going to share there are three simple

things that you need to do if you follow

these three things you can make any

difficult habit which might seem

difficult literally easy for you like

brushing your teeth would you be

interested to

know perfect thank you so much at least

two people said

okay so if you want to make any good

habit easy or you want to stay okay let

me ask you one question how many of you

struggle with consistency of practice

you can raise your hand you have started

something and you couldn't follow it and

you know that it is so important for you

thank you hands down but you couldn't do

it here are three things that you can do

first do not get into All or Nothing

trap let me ask you another question how

many of us have got that super solid

motivation on a Monday morning or first

of uh any month or first of January and

then you picked up okay I'll wake up

early I'll eat clean food I'll read a

page every single day I'll read one book

in a week and I'll complete 52 books in

a in an year and you decided like

multiple things you probably followed it

also for a week but after that when your

motivation went down you stopped doing

literally everything raise your hands if

you have experienced something like this

this is precisely called as the All or

Nothing trap either we do everything or

we stop doing

everything so next time whenever you

start a habit never rely on your

motivation when your motivation is high

you take wrong decisions for your habits

so whenever you are motivated to start

something always choose the least

possible action that you can do when you

are not motivated suppose you not

motivated to read you can still read one

page at least a page Ag and I'm sure if

you decide that you want to read one

book A Week in 12 months you will read

zero

books but if you read one page a day

you'll probably end up reading much much

more than even what you thought so never

ever start doing everything at once take

small steps

and so let me also give you another

example of exercise whenever we think of

exercise we feel we should sweat we

should feel exhausted we should feel

like we have done something then we feel

that we have done Exercise not really

true exercise can be as low as 5 minutes

10 minutes but our mind sets an

expectation what is the expectation the

exercise is complete only when I do it

for an hour for 45 minutes or I sweat

that's not necessarily true you can do

even 10 squats five squats 5 minutes of

high intensity exercise everything is

okay until and unless it is

nonzero so when you are good when you

have energy do 100 but when you are not

good when you are not motivated do one

just don't do zero is that

clear okay perfect so that's step number

one step number

two very

important how many of you have said this

I'm going to start doing X activity

tomorrow and tomorrow we have said the

same thing please raise your hand thank

you now you know what motivation is not

the missing Factor here you are

motivated that's why you are at least

thinking about doing it you know what is

missing setting

intention now what do I mean by setting

intention let me tell you this

first setting intention is going to help

you 40 like it is more 40% more likely

that you will do an activity if you set

an intention Now setting intention is as

simple as taking the decisions before

like one day before and not just before

the activity suppose like uh I usually

teach yoga so my normal examples are all

about exercise but you can relate to

your activity also so someone says I

want to start doing yoga

tomorrow very important for them to

decide what time are they going to do

where are they going to do with whom

they are going to do are they going to

do inside the house or they going to go

to the gym or they're going to go to the

Garden or a Yoga Center why because next

day when they get up and if they have to

take 10

decisions when where how what they will

end up saying I'll do it

tomorrow is it making sense to you yeah

so setting intention means simply

deciding beforehand and probably writing

it down so that you have more clarity

that is how you convert your motivation

into an actual action motivation is

Never Enough you always need an intent

of when what where how etc etc to

actually converted into an action so

that is Step number two you always

decide write down send in WhatsApp

message to your friend or or anyone whom

you want to be your accountability

partner so that you are clear what to do

and this is applicable not just for

habits it's for everything any single

task if if you're not able to do it just

write down when where what how will I do

it and you are 40% more likely to

actually attempt and do that task okay

that's step number two third and the

most important task set an intention

yeah very important very very important

how many of you have said this I am

lazy come on don't be

shy okay

perfect what you tell yourself is what's

going to happen if you say you are a

lazy person you will be a lazy person

forever no scientific tool no

motivational speaker not even God can

help you

here if you say you're lazy that's

true that's just

true yeah very important of what you say

now I am not saying you should lie to

yourself you're waking up at 10:00 and

you're saying to yourself no no I'm a

very active

person not going to work so you don't

have to lie to yourself but very

important that you don't have negative

selft

talk now what does this mean if you say

I'm an active person or let's take

example of you want to become a morning

person so for example you're waking up

at 9:00 and you want to become a morning

person that does not mean you have to

wake up at 4:00 a.m. you just have to

wake up at

8:30 you have to do something very

similar very small that justifies what

you want to say to

yourself is that clear so very important

what you talk and I'm telling you a

secret to actually change

this join a group if you want to be a

morning person join a group where

everyone is a morning person if you want

to become an entrepreneur join a group

where everyone is doing business or

talking about ideas if you want to be a

guitarist join a group where everyone is

playing guitar your group will create an

identity for you so when you talk about

habit building and consistency identity

creation is supposed to be the notar

what you want to achieve eventually is

not habit it's an identity today I say

I'm a yoga person why because I've done

yoga for 1,600

days today I say I'm an entrepreneur

because I'm running a company it's an

identity that I live with once you have

your identity set you do not need any

support any motivation you will do

it is that clear so that is the last

thing and the most most easiest thing to

do join a group where your desired

outcome is a normal behavior everyone

behaves in a way how you want to be is

it making sense yes so your friends will

Define your identity if they do wrong

you are very likely I'm not saying you

will 100% do wrong but you are very very

likely to do wrong and if they are doing

good you are very very likely to

actually do good so you have to ensure

that your surrounding also supports your

good

habits that's the last thing I want to

say if you build your habits today your

habits will build your tomorrow thank

you so much