How to break away from habit & follow through on your goals | Sabine Doebel | TEDxMileHigh

Research shows that executive function has a profound impact on your life - it correlates with academic achievement, mental and physical health, making money and saving money, and even staying out of jail. Lately, executive function has become a self-improvement buzzword and people think you can improve it through brain training iPhone apps or computer games. In this informative talk, Psychologist Sabine Doebel explains why that doesn’t work and instead, what you can do to accomplish your goals. Sabine Doebel is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She has a Ph.D. from the Institute of Child Development in Minnesota. Her research focuses on the development of executive function. Sabine was born in Ohio but grew up in a suburb of Toronto, Canada, and despite having lived in the U.S. for 8 years, she still says “sorry” a lot and refers to colored pencils as “pencil crayons.” She lives in Boulder with her husband, Eric, and 18-month-old son/comedian, Vincent. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@adcelbyensunio6327]

In short, sorround yourself with people who are willing to achieve the same goals as you.

[@TanvirAhmed24]

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.

[@peace606]

Is that really true? Can someone expand on that?

[@ariwl1]

@@peace606 Motivation is kind of similar to emotions in that it ebbs and flows. No one feels happy literally all the time for example, and even the most productive people sometimes just flat out aren't motivated to do a specific thing (or anything at all!). Habits rather, are consistent patterns of behavior. Basic example is brushing your teeth. Odds are you do that at least once a day and usually at the same time in the same place in the same way. This practice is so ingrained in your mind and body that it requires zero thought and motivation to do. You just do it because you internally know this is the time you brush your teeth at. You may miss a day randomly or do it later on the weekends, but otherwise it's a consistent behavior. So when working towards new goals, since whatever you're doing is outside your usual practices, you'll be relying on motivation and brain power to set a consistent pattern of behavior until it becomes a habit for you and thus it won't require as much thought and energy to accomplish.

[@peace606]

@@ariwl1 thanks! So it takes motivation/thought to develop a good habit. But does that also mean that it also takes motivation/thought to break a bad habit? Also, if you try to apply a lot of new good habits and break a lot of bad habits at once, is that effective? I can imagine if you try that it can give you a burnout or something and fail to make any progress at all.

[@soullessleftover8427]

@ariwl1 Well explained. But I still can’t figure out, why is it so hard to make new habits that influence the old ones. For example I was trying to make a habit of working out. It all started well, and it lasted for a few weeks. However after skipping once, I started to get more and more lazy. From than it was just feeling like a choir. And I just couldn’t continue, so I quit. By comparison I was also trying to break my habit of drinking other drinks. Mostly Coca-Cola. I was drinking it for years, and I couldn’t stay a way from it more than a day or two. So I decided to drink only water, and it like the previous example was hard at first, but after 2 weeks it was easier and easier. So much so that I can safely say, that I have no desire to drink again. (It’s been 2 years after I stopped.) I assume the reason this worked was, that I already had something I was familiar with (Since I drink it every day, even than. But only at night and one to two glasses.), to replace it. What are your thoughts about this?

[@ariwl1]

@@peace606 Habits often tend to be automatic, as in they don't require much conscious thought. So if you're trying to break a bad habit you may find yourself with nervous energy you don't know what to do with. If you've ever known someone who smoked for a long time and then tried to quit, oftentimes their hands will get fidgety because they aren't performing their usual ingrained routine which includes the physical act of reaching for and lighting cigarettes. When breaking a bad habit, it's a good idea to look at what the habit serves to you and what alternatives you can find to get a similar effect. Going back to smokers, a lot of the time they do it because it helps them relax and relieve stress. So if you were trying to quit smoking, you'd do well to find other means of relaxing like going on walks or meditating. And any time you're trying to change behaviors I recommend doing only a few or even one at a time. Following through on habit change requires motivation and willpower and these rely on your energy. If you get too exhausted, you may end up falling off your goal. So I recommend picking one goal that really matters to you right now and focus on that. When you feel like you've got the hang of it you can add another. Good luck!

[@theequatableskeptic8148]

My executive functioning made me scroll to the comments whilst listening to this talk

[@unleashingpotential-psycho9433]

Keeping reminders of why you care about a goal is one easy way to follow through with it.

[@thelocatina]

Wow, the title read my mind..

[@sandraerickson2126]

I teach students who struggle with executive functioning skills. Thanks for making it a bit more tangible to explain.

[@TaraWagner]

Everything we do is done to help us meet or protect our needs like breaking away from our habits to follow through. This was so insightful, Sabine!

[@BruceWayne-fs8ty]

Finally a person who knows what she's talking about instead of the bajillions of scammers who say the same nonsense as everyone else just to sound inspirational and feel important!

[@charmedprince]

2019 and we still here improving ourselves, still trying to adopt something Confucius or Marcus Aurelius said. Hope everyone finds their peace this year

[@andizana]

What if you can't help it though? In cases like ADHD, where the brain naturally has struggles with executive functions because of a disorder, how does a person train their brains then?

[@niltomega2978]

Yes...Only surround yourself with people who want the best for you.

[@memberofparliament6142]

Thank you so much ma'am...stay savant ! 😊💐 One day, I will also be there sharing my story n infusing the most vibrant positive vibes to each one of the listeners ! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jasenkavukelic5047]

Jagruti Pareek What a beautiful plan!

[@memberofparliament6142]

@@jasenkavukelic5047 It would be more beautiful if share the stage. ✨

[@WarriorsPhoto]

Absolutely amazing information for someone like myself. I certainly needed this information. I will definitely have to apply some this in 2019.

[@chintakindiabhinav]

Awesome research!!! Thank you! 👏👏👏👏

[@integragemi7234]

I have an easy method, close mr facebook, stop social media obsession. Also phone. Then happiness back again.

[@roybrolsbeak]

i agree those are distractions and bad habits. sometimes i catch myself opening facebook for no good reason. using it for good purpose is fine but it becomes a problem if its a distraction

[@yanelsisepulveda6411]

I'm learning English and this video teach me a Lot, Good video.😃

[@yanelsisepulveda6411]

Dack Hacksaw thanks I forgot it🤦🏻‍♀️

[@crochethandancrochet3703]

@@yanelsisepulveda6411 is it too biig problem teach or taught

[@sk8mysterion]

I just love the TED Videos, Always something that's fascinating :)

[@ruthhabermehl8186]

This nicely fits to the Theory of constructed emotions by Lisa Feldman Barrett

[@stick2737]

This just changed my whole life, thank you Sabine😩

[@mohammedarzam3658]

How

[@franticranter]

I remember when i was younger, i used to do a paperound, and i often got to the point where i'd get used to my round and if someone went on holiday or something and i wasn't delivering to them on that day, i'd often end up delivering to them by accident anyway, and would by accident deliver another person's paper to that person who was on holiday.

[@melitasaripurba6378]

executive function works more if we know the strategy. The point is how to make our goals matter to us

[@tdreamgmail]

I have never poured OJ in my cereal. Touch wood.

[@irmaindriani]

Well, I can't drive until now... This is very helpful. Thank you

[@unzahid]

Words for life.

[@munirchahin3092]

Damn that was a 7 minute introduction for the sentence "Get friends who like Spanish"

[@streetghost]

"I have a bad habit of not learning a foreign language" 😂😂😂

[@thepenguincourse]

You have to start no matter the obstacles.

[@JaceJacobs]

✋🏼👊🏼😀❤️ Marshmallow Test for the win. Very interesting. Thank you 🙏

[@ChessMasteryOfficial]

*Do you really want to look back on your life and see how wonderful it could have been had you not been afraid to live it?*

[@ChessMasteryOfficial]

@Dack Hacksaw lol :D

[@christopherbarham4402]

@Dack Hacksaw it really is though lol. Unless you play the victim card.

[@kittttygirl5]

@@christopherbarham4402 exactly, agreed.

[@MilkshakeGuruTTV]

@The Rockall Times Someone is easily agitated. I'd work on that.

[@ahmaddamasalim4178]

Your experience with these children was expressing for all our life

[@Yeeeeeehaw]

Great talk ;)

[@mohammadmujahid199]

A very inspiring speech. :-)

[@shreyavats8989]

Great 👌

[@ghazalmoenie3381]

If anyone’s interested in the marshmallow task check out Casey’s study on delay gratification 👌

[@frb3786]

I love these motivation and illumination videos and ı respect you so much. But ı cant understand all of it when they speak that fast. Can you add turkish subtitle to this video too

[@nsahni]

very nice

[@EricHrahsel]

I don't get what she said

[@RalphDratman]

I've been reading that a lot of psych experiments can't be replicated. How about the experiments described here? Can they be replicated?

[@leninpotter27]

2020 anyone?

[@laybachaudhry2978]

🙋‍♀️

[@haseebpavaratty6249]

Anyone from Pluto?

[@sofea898]

Can believe we are reaching there though 😧

[@user-sz1py2cu6f]

هههههه😂

[@abirose22]

AlienwareSucks KZbin no 2021

[@seboeh5173]

With social-group-pressure, the test is getting more harder. Can we just say, we know the result now? Cause in real life, waiting is not giving you bigger reward! I failed the test from beginning, and it makes me angry always see cheating on others. Other topic: "Surrounding matters the functional-thinking" - yeah, that's why we need good teams in the job!

[@vilesh8543]

Nice eg. with kids from overeating sugar candy n cakes. Hopefully it should work for all of us too by way of CONTEXT.

[@iche9373]

What is the summary of her talk?

[@pash9956]

I learned to drive many times and I still hate it. I imagine a planet where people walk. What a beautiful world. My imagination usually will override executive function...and that's not good on the road.

[@a.inception1094]

The only way is to make 'the bird the word'.

[@signaturespecialist]

Good ideas for 2019, what say?

[@fenukueatmon5424]

Happy 2019 New Year🎉 Title very misleading, but I blame Trump!

[@ItsIliana]

interesting

[@TheSpicyPotatoe]

Omg we are all going to be successful

[@TheSpicyPotatoe]

@Dack Hacksaw yes we are we all know the secret

[@kalenmichael]

Does this apply to the general opinion of the patriarchy?

[@Joenah.]

What is the biggest rock?

[@alphastrength3402]

If you want good habits, first break the bad one

[@ok.7014]

how timely..

[@crochethandancrochet3703]

Who can summarize what she means

[@clutten9496]

Ohh i thought she was millie bobby brown lol... Great video motivation btw xx

[@Amanda-gi6rd]

cool

[@streetghost]

No mention of how to break a habit. Quick summary. If you want learn Spanish, surround yourself with others that want to learn spanish. If you want your kid to do their homework, tell them to put their phone away. K, bye.

[@davidadams2395]

I thought she did present her case for the title. Breaking a habit takes around 30 days, and it requires executive function to decide to break a habit and to follow through on one's goals. (The follow through is the hardest part.) For example, after 32 years as a smoker, I decided to quit six months ago. It required executive function to make the decision _and_ to abstain. There are no easy answers to breaking a habit: it takes careful thought and control over emotions, and learning to delay gratification, but one won't succeed for long if one fails to attach meaning to the act. If it was dependent only on willpower, I'd not have lasted two weeks. Each day I must remind myself of the reasons I quit, to reinforce my beliefs of what constitutes a nonsmoker.

[@streetghost]

@@davidadams2395 maybe you should have been giving this talk. You expanded on what very little she said.

[@streetghost]

I fail to see how learning a new language or disciplining your children is breaking a habit. What's the habit your breaking? "I have a bad habit of not learning a new language." "I have a bad habit of raising my children poorly."

[@katherinelxl3471]

Pleaseeeeee 🙏 turkish subtitles

[@katherinelxl3471]

Hahah 😄😊 According to my understanding, the success of the Turks scares you andd it makes me happy, thanks for this idea 😉😘

[@kubramercimek7994]

perfect comment honey😊

[@katherinelxl3471]

@Dack Hacksaw I'd like to argue with you, but let's discuss when it's a little more knowledgeable. Because you know nothing

[@katherinelxl3471]

@Dack Hacksaw and no one cares about your thoughts

[@berkannnn5140]

@Dack Hacksaw what the f?

[@datrionrandle]

Now WHO TF accidentally pour orange juice on cereal I’m just saying 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@janedoe3043]

So... stereotypes are self perpetuating?

[@ihsantekru9350]

Türkçe altyazı Yok mu

[@ihsantekru9350]

Dack Hacksaw pardon da niye el haraketi gönderiyorsun aptal

[@__vazan__edits]

pcycology beyond imagination is me...I uniquely execute no one does normally....its most of the time negative....

[@grandbaycentral5741]

Why is it so hard to break a bad habit?😒

[@prof.wailboutahra]

😁

[@Davedarko]

That's the same stuff that's happening when you're wearing a batman costume, you do what batman would do, or not?

[@mohamedafrah2063]

to listing to learning English only

[@WhatTheFucckk]

I like marshmellows

[@Medinalegend]

Arabic ?

[@nawalalmashhad6807]

If you have goals in life , you will be always motivated

[@frat115]

Türkçe alt yazılı yok mu yav

[@frat115]

@Dack Hacksaw video turkish subtitles though i wish

[@draganlazarus]

How to without how to ...

[@2911Delta]

well, then you didn't listen carefully enough.

[@streetghost]

Maybe they edited an extended version of the presentation, and forgot to leave the important part in?

[@parthip8008]

Just came to put the early comments ....😂😂not even knows about the video

[@oathraw2135]

😂😂😂😂😈

[@parthip8008]

@Dack Hacksaw actually your comment should get more likes ..... As in my concern

[@iahngr622]

Eat clen Tren hard Anabol give up

[@penguinexpress12]

Take a shot every time she says executive function

[@jesusistheanswer2074]

Those shoes look really uncomfortable ☺️ just saying.

[@pash9956]

Parents will sue you for giving their kids marshmallows.

[@arvindraj6800]

Plz .Convart In Hindi😊 inspire

[@snay6869]

@The Rockall Times YES!

[@Demoniak30]

I DIDNT WATCH TIS VIDEO, WHY DO YOU TALK ABOUT THIS TYPE OF SUBJECTS ?! ARE PEOPLE ALL DEPRESSIVE ? I do break away from my habits & I follow through on my goals, I hope some other people are doin it, without the need of listen to this "Tutorial" .......

[@marcovazquez8739]

En español porfavor!!

[@gavindajyajya]

'Orange juice' does NOT require an abbreviation!!!! Flipping Americans.

[@MrEinJulian]

lo it semms like she didn´t get what she were talking abuot xD

[@Michael5iLVEr]

*γνώθι σαυτόν*

[@__vazan__edits]

anyway,hey u there like me searching for comments,reply me if u see this msg...

[@salvadormagana8666]

Woke

[@arypez9173]

OMG! Please stop experimenting with human beans. Don't use children for that! Even with animals is so wrong!!!!!!

[@realAPofficial]

Horrible. Boring