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My 88-Year-Old Grandfather’s Approach to Habit-Forming
Advice that has stood the test of time
My grandpa recently turned 88 years old. When I gave him a call on his birthday, he was as energetic as ever. I know he’s a disciplined man who relies on very strict routines. But I realized I never asked him about his habit-forming process.
He’s been doing the same things for all of his adult life. Back then, there were no books and blogs on habits. For example, he’s been going to bed and waking up at the same time for ages.
Another thing he does is going for a daily walk. And he recently got a stationary bike that he also uses every day. One of the things I’ve been writing about for years is that you don’t need to look at scientific research on habits to figure out what to do.
If you have a healthy grandparent or elderly family member, just look at what they do. You’ll see the patterns. Look at the good things they do and copy them. That’s what I’ve been doing with my grandfather as well.
So asked him, “Gramps, I know your habits are really important to you. How did you go about forming your habits?” Here’s his process.
