Answer by A Quora admin:
Neuroplasticity. Neuroscientists have discovered that the brain is plastic, meaning it’s malleable. It changes through our actions.
It’s nicer to think of your brain like a beautiful planet earth with a series of rivers, big and small.
When you do something a lot, say surfing Reddit, it grooves a deep river in your brain. Click link, see interesting content. Action, reward. Action, reward. Action, reward. 1000’s of times. Deep river.
Eventually, repeated actions dig grooves in your brain that look like the Grand Canyon. Your strongest habits.
Deeper, more ingrained habits are more difficult to change. Imagine trying to change the Grand Canyon.
The best way to break a bad habit is to start a new habit. Each time you do that good action, say giving someone a compliment, you get a reward. Give compliment, feel happy. Action, reward. Action, reward. Action, reward.
The most effective people have Grand Canyons and Amazons and Tigris rivers of good actions. They easily do good actions because they are grooved into their brains.
Their rivers flow with wealth, happy relationships and good health.
Here’s a few good habits (or rivers) to start grooving:
1. Meditate daily (just 2 minutes for a start, have you tried Calm.com? It’s free and amazing.)
2. Floss daily. Easy and you’ll thank yourself 30 years from now.
3. Plan your work and work your plan daily. This’ll make you a success. Even if only plan one thing to do today to make you more successful, and then do that one thing you’re getting into the habit of taking action towards success.
May your rivers flow deep with goodness and gold.