According to research, about 43% of what you do daily comes from habits rather than conscious choices. That’s huge, because the right habits can shape the kind of life you want. Habits keep you on track when things get busy, help you balance responsibilities, and push you closer to your goals. In this article, we’ll walk you through a simple guide to building habits that stick.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Goals
You’ll only stick with your habits if they connect to meaningful goals. For example, maybe your goal is to close a business deal within the next month. Or maybe it’s carving out an extra hour each week for your business without falling behind in school. You might even be growing a side hustle to save up for college. Whatever it is, get clear on your purpose and know exactly why you’re doing it.
Step 2: Break Down Goals into Daily Habits
Once you’ve nailed down a couple of goals you want to chase, start breaking them into small, manageable habits. For example, if your goal is to land a new client, your daily and weekly habits might look like:
- Post once a week on a social media platform
- Send three outreach emails each day
- Follow up with potential leads once a week
Try to stick to three to five habits per goal so you don’t overwhelm yourself. And don’t pile on too many goals at once. Start with one and build from there.
Step 3: Track Your Progress
If you don’t have a way to track your progress, it’s easy to lose momentum and feel like you’re not getting anywhere. Tracking gives you a visual presentation of how far you’ve come.
There are plenty of ways to do this: you can stick with classic pen-and-paper journaling, download a habit tracking app, or use a printable worksheet to log your daily habits. Using the same example, you could set digital calendar reminders and make a simple checklist to track your outreach and social posts. The key is to experiment until you find a system that feels natural for you.
Step 4: Use Habit Stacking
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, points out that one of the best ways to build a routine is by linking a new habit to something you already do. This makes the new habit feel more automatic instead of something you have to force.
For instance, after finishing homework at your desk, send three outreach messages before closing your laptop. You can use sticky notes on your desk or digital reminders on your phone to nudge you until the habit becomes second nature.
Step 5: Stay Flexible but Consistent
When building new habits, don’t aim for perfection; strive for consistency. Missing a habit once or twice isn’t the end of the world. What matters is that, over time, you’re showing up more often than not. Life gets busy, and that’s normal.
If a habit keeps feeling impossible, it’s a sign you may need to adjust it. For example:
- If three outreach emails a day feels overwhelming, cut it down to two.
- If daily posting on social media is too much, switch to three times a week.
- If studying for an hour straight is tough, try two 30-minute blocks.
Review your habits regularly (once a month works well) and refine them to fit your life.
Moving Forward with Discipline
Focusing on discipline over motivation helps you stay consistent with your habits. Once you’re clear on your goals and break them into smaller steps, you can stack habits together and track your progress to keep moving forward. All those small daily actions add up, and even as a busy teen entrepreneur, you can build habits that align with your lifestyle.
If you’re a teen entrepreneur ready to build discipline not only for business but also for college, the Kantner Foundation is here to support you. Learn more about our scholarship opportunity here.