Planting New Habits: Habit Stacking for Growth & Momentum

“Stacking a new habit, or one that you may not enjoy, with one that you do enjoy, and that you do every single day, is going to set yourself up for a successful habit.

This is where most people miss. They try to plant a tree where there is no soil and hope the roots will stick.

If you plant where there is soil, the roots are going to have something to hold onto, and they are going to have something to grow in.”

 — Aisha Zaza, The Mindset Mile podcast, Episode 164: How to Habit Stack Successfully

Once again, a podcast has inspired an article. What would I do without podcasts? Don’t want to even think about.

The quote above by Aisha Zaza struck me as a beautiful metaphor. I love metaphors – they give a visual, an image, that can clarify and ground a concept.

In this case, Aisha’s metaphor illustrates the concept of habit stacking, or linking a new habit with an established one, to increase the likelihood of successful changing your behaviour. For example:

Drinking a big glass of water [new habit] before brushing your teeth every morning [established habit].

Adding a dynamic movement warm-up [new habit] before your regular run [established habit].

Taking your vitamin [new habit] before you drink your morning smoothie [established habit].  

If you want to make positive changes in your health, time management, relationships, or environment, you link together positive habits to build momentum and greater impact.

This wasn’t the first time I heard of habit stacking. I’ve listened to many a podcast on the topic. But Aisha’s framing really created a beautiful metaphor for this, allowing me to envision a new and desired habit as a seed. If you find the right position for the seed and provide consistent care for the seed, it can grow and thrive.

By attaching a desired new behaviour to an established habit, you allow it to grow into a new skill, an expanded capacity, a talent, an improvement. 

This also frames habit development and behaviour change in a positive, growth, additive framework. 

Many people find a goal easier to achieve if it’s framed in a positive light (example: I will add more vegetables to each meal). The contrast to this is a goal framed in a negative, removal or punitive framework (example: I will not eat bread or french fries anymore). 

Habit formation focuses on what you want to grow in your life. 

Habit stacking focuses on linking a new habit to an established one. 

Habit stacking requires finding a place where you are already succeeding! Finding an established good habit gives you evidence of your own ability to be consistent. You cannot habit stack without acknowledging your ability to commit and follow through on a task, which in turn gives you confidence in your ability to stick to new habits.  

 Habit stacking is not a new concept. The internet tells me the term was coined by SJ Scott. I thought it was BJ Fogg ... but evidently not! Give either of them a google to hear more about behaviour change from an expert.  

But back to my podcast quote — and why I love metaphors — you don't need to be an expert to grasp the visual Aisha is using. We have all seen the miraculous process by which a seed grows into a seedling then a sapling then a sturdy and flourishing tree that is a deeply rooted and enduring element of the landscape.

Where is the fertile ground in your life? Where have you created the conditions for growth? 

If you want to be a better parent and you have a solid bedtime routine, take the opportunity each night to acknowledge something amazing you saw in your child that day. 

If you want to be more active and you started with a standing desk, consider adding a treadmill to your home office. 

If you built the habit of eating breakfast every morning, consider adding more fruits and veggies to your first meal. 

You get the idea. Don't look at the weediest, driest, more challenging part of your life's landscape and try to overhaul it overnight. 

Instead, find ways to gently and gradually bring more life and energy and positivity to places where you've already created momentum. 

Good luck!