personal finance

Author of ‘The Power of Habit': Here's How Long It Will Take to Correct Your Bad Behavior

Twenty/20

It's almost time to start making your New Year's resolutions.

No matter what goals you set, the key to your success will most likely depend on how you approach the changes you're seeking.

Charles Duhigg, author of the book "The Power of Habit," said most resolutions fail because people attack them with the wrong mindset.

Your goal should not be to tough it out for a few weeks until the change becomes routine, according to Duhigg.

When you think about breaking habits as a matter of time and willpower, you'll end up reverting to what you know once you get too tired or stressed, he said.

"The right way to think about breaking a habit is to think about changing that habit," Duhigg said. To do this, you need to understand how habits work and the most effective ways to change them, the author said.

Check out this video for a full breakdown of how habits are formed and how long it will take for new behaviors to take effect.

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