099 How to Create Habits that Stick: Interview with Michael Balchan

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have you ever wanted to achieve a goal or bring about a positive change in your life, but struggled to consistently take the actions needed to do so? The solution may lie in developing the right habits – but often, it can be difficult to continue following those habits after you initially create them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Michael Balchan, our guest in Episode 99 of The MINDSet Game® podcast, believes that building positive habits and sticking to them requires an understanding of how your mind works, as well as a clear sense of the identity you’re seeking to adopt. A Harvard-trained behavioral economist and psychologist, Michael now serves as the Head Coach and Chief of Staff at Heroic, a public benefit corporation that uses proven, behavioral-designed technology to empower individuals to move from theory to practice to mastery and express the highest version of themselves.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode, Michael shares numerous insights, including the following:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The importance of using celebration and positive reinforcement to help yourself continue following a good habit</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">How to create algorithms that use your environment and willpower to reinforce the habits you’re seeking to build</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">An overview of the differences between the reptilian, mammalian, and rational parts of your brain – and simple actions to take when the rational part disengages and you feel inclined to do things that may be inconsistent with your highest self</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The importance of getting clear on the identity you want to have, and how that identity drives your behaviors – which, in turn, reinforce your iden