How Habit Stacking Transformed My Life Over the Last 7 Years?
After my trip to Southeast Asia, where I took nearly 20 flights, I found myself telling people that I enjoy traveling more than the vacation itself. It felt a bit odd, and I couldn’t quite understand why.
Two weeks ago, as I was driving back from Paris to Brussels, I decided to take a break from the road and grab some Starbucks coffee. Unfortunately, it was the 1st of April, a public holiday, so I couldn’t find any Starbucks at a rest area, only those “on the go” coffee machines (as shown in the picture on the far right).
I found it somewhat ridiculous to feel sorry for not being able to wait in line for a simple drink, yet I couldn’t shake off that feeling. Reflecting on why I felt so strongly about not having coffee from the store itself puzzled me.
As I got back to the car with the music playing for over 3 hours, which was giving me a headache, I sat in the car seat tired and silent, and I remembered my claim about loving traveling more than the vacation.
Then it clicked.
When I was 22 years old (7 years ago), I was working in my very first job, which required intensive traveling. My colleagues and I would go to the airports at 5 am in the mornings to catch a flight. We had meal vouchers for our trips so, we always had our breakfast at airports, specifically at Starbucks.
I always preferred Starbucks because, when I ordered the way I did, I always got the same taste in my coffee. That was simple. But back then, I wasn’t actually able to afford a breakfast at a Starbucks in an expensive airport if I didn’t have a voucher.
While standing in the line for a coffee from Starbucks in the airport, I found myself blending in with others who effortlessly afforded the priciest airport beverages. It was as if I, too, had the financial ease to indulge in an expensive cup without a second thought. This simple act offered a momentary respite, a brief escape from the pressures of everyday life.
My sense of financial stability became linked to a cup of coffee from Starbucks, which in turn, was linked to traveling. Eventually, getting Starbucks coffee while traveling became a unique pleasure that I couldn’t experience any other way.
The Priceless Joy of Fixing a Habit into Your Routine
Interestingly, this practice is often recommended. In his influential book, “Atomic Habits,” James Clear suggests that the motivation to build habits comes with an action plan. In one of the practices he outlines, he recommends linking a new habit you want to build to something you already do and enjoy. He refers to this strategy as habit stacking.
“When it comes to building new habits, you can use the connectedness of behavior to your advantage. One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top. This is called habit stacking.” James Clear, Atomic Habits
It is sometimes as simple as this: “After I take off my work shoes, I will immediately change into my workout clothes,” he says.
In fact, I was using the power of habit stacking for rather a feeling that I couldn’t normally experience in real life. And I actually saw how powerful that could be without even knowing what I’ve done.
Building a habit is mentally challenging. You struggle a lot in the process. Only after you achieve having it in your daily routine effortlessly can it be as enjoyable as you imagine.
So once I understand the reasoning behind it, I began applying this principle to other habits I want to build as well.
I would say, “After I wake up early on Saturdays (which I generally do), I will go to Bois de la Cambre for a 6k run.”
I wake up early in the morning with the idea of running already embedded in my mind. I don’t even question whether I want to go for a run; I simply do it because I woke up early. And when I finish my workout, I feel even more grateful for waking up early, with dopamine kicking in, motivating me to keep going.
Nowadays, I just “know” that I will go for a run when I wake up on Saturday mornings, and I even plan my days accordingly: I avoid making any late-night plans on Fridays, and I don’t schedule any appointments before 12 pm on Saturdays.
You know what happened? My pace improved tremendously in a month. My body already knew when to run, so it was never a matter of physiological resistance to running. And when physiological resistance disappears, my body just physically got better.
In the last two weeks, I actually started stacking habits even further. Now I go grocery shopping right after the run and start cooking for the week right after I have my breakfast.
So now I can simply enjoy the cooking itself because I know that’s cooking time, rather than worrying about feeding myself even when I’m extremely tired at different times during the week.
Embracing Life’s Ups and Downs like Any Other
Looking back on my journey, I see the challenges I’ve faced are just part of life. Understanding and dealing with them isn’t always easy — it can downright hurt sometimes. But through it all, I’ve learned a lot about myself and found ways to make things better. And when I see those improvements, it’s like a weight lifted off my shoulders.
And I see a future that’s full of possibilities. I still have my own issues: One is this constant urge to progress, which makes it hard for me to settle down anywhere. I wrote about it in a recent article here: Urge to progress: The first step to your break-through
Another thing I struggle with is staying focused at work — something I plan to talk about in my next piece. These challenges might seem unrelated, but they all tie back to one thing: I’m living a life that just doesn’t fit me. The corporate world, while it has its perks, doesn’t really suit who I am deep down. And breaking away from that, well, it’s scary with the limited resources I have. But even with all the uncertainty, I’m hopeful that I can find a path that feels more right for me.
