I’m going to let you in on a small secret, because I think it might make sticking to a new habit easier:
I’m kind of obsessed with The Bachelor franchise.
Yes.
That show.
The one where one person dates 20 people at once and then proposes to someone they’ve known for six weeks. Peak romance.
A few years ago, I made a rule:
I could only watch my guilty pleasure while working out.
If I wanted The Bachelor, I had to be on the treadmill or the elliptical. No couch. No blanket. No snacks. Just me, cardio, and wildly unrealistic relationship expectations.
Why?
Because I needed to do more cardio — and I knew my brain would move mountains for that show.
And… it worked. Shockingly well.
Why Building Better Habits Feels So Hard
If you’ve ever tried to start a new habit and felt your motivation disappear after a few days, you’re not broken. You’re human.
Most of us try to rely on willpower, discipline, or grit to change our behavior. We tell ourselves we just need to try harder.
But willpower is unreliable — especially when you’re tired, stressed, or already juggling a full life.
Which brings me back to The Bachelor.
What Actually Helped Me Stay Consistent
What was happening with my treadmill rule wasn’t discipline. It was strategy.
I didn’t suddenly become a cardio enthusiast.
I didn’t fall in love with sweating.
I simply paired something I wanted to do with something I was trying to do.
Instead of relying on motivation, I let my brain do what it already does best:
Chase dopamine.
How Temptation Bundling Helps You Start a New Habit
This strategy has a name: temptation bundling.
Temptation bundling means pairing:
A habit you’re avoiding
withSomething you already love or do consistently
You link the new habit to a reward your brain is already motivated by.
Instead of forcing change through grit, you redesign the environment so the habit feels more appealing.
Here’s another example from my own life.
I struggled to meditate consistently. I wanted it to be a regular morning practice, but my brain was… not cooperating.
So I asked myself one simple question:
What is one thing I absolutely will not give up in the morning?
The answer was immediate.
My latte.
Non-negotiable.
Sacred.
So I made a deal with myself:
I could only drink my coffee while meditating.
And guess what happened?
I started meditating regularly.
Eventually, the habit stuck on its own, and I didn’t need to pair them anymore. (And yes — having a kid required some creative re-hacks to stay consistent, which I’ll share soon.)
How to Apply This to Your Own Life
So here’s the question for you:
What new habit are you trying to start or increase?
And what can you pair it with that your brain already loves?
No grit.
No grind.
No white-knuckling your way through change.
Just smarter design.
Sometimes the path to change isn’t trying harder.
It’s working with your brain instead of against it.
