How Do I Build a New Habit? The Two-Step Method That Actually Works - Victor Da Luz

How do I build a new habit? This is one of the most common questions people ask when they want to improve their lives, and it’s also one of the most frustrating.

Most people try to build habits the wrong way. They set ambitious goals, rely on willpower, and wonder why nothing sticks. The truth is that building habits isn’t about motivation or discipline, it’s about strategy.

Why most habit attempts fail

The average person tries to build habits using willpower alone. They decide to “start tomorrow” with a dramatic change, like going from no exercise to working out for an hour every day.

This approach fails because:

It requires too much effort upfront
It doesn’t account for the natural resistance to change
It lacks a clear trigger or cue
It sets unrealistic expectations
It doesn’t build momentum gradually

Willpower is a finite resource. You can’t rely on it to build lasting habits because it gets depleted throughout the day. By the time you need to do your new habit, your willpower is often gone.

The key insight is that habits are automatic behaviors, not conscious decisions. Once a habit is truly formed, you don’t need willpower to do it, it happens automatically.

The two-step method that works

There are two essential steps to building any habit successfully:

Step 1: Define your minimum viable action (MVA) Step 2: Attach it to an existing trigger

These two steps work together to create the foundation for any lasting habit.

Step 1: The minimum viable action

Your minimum viable action is the smallest possible version of your habit that still counts as success.

The MVA must be so small that it’s almost impossible to fail. It should take less than two minutes to complete and require minimal effort.

Examples of effective MVAs:

Reading habit: Read one page per day
Exercise habit: Do one push-up per day
Meditation habit: Sit quietly for one minute per day
Writing habit: Write one sentence per day
Flossing habit: Floss one tooth per day
Water habit: Drink one glass of water per day

The power of the MVA comes from its psychological effect. When you set the bar this low, you eliminate the excuses that normally prevent you from starting.

“I don’t have time to read” becomes impossible when your goal is just one page. “I’m too tired to exercise” doesn’t work when you only need to do one push-up.

The MVA creates momentum. Once you start doing your habit consistently, even in tiny amounts, it becomes easier to do more when you have the time and energy.

Step 2: The trigger attachment

A trigger is something that already happens reliably in your daily routine. It’s the cue that tells your brain it’s time to do your new habit.

The trigger must be something you already do every day without fail. Common triggers include:

Waking up
Brushing your teeth
Making coffee
Sitting down to eat
Getting into bed
Checking your phone
Using the bathroom

The key rule: your new habit must come AFTER the trigger, never before.

Why “after” matters:

When you say “I’ll do X before Y,” it’s easy to skip X if you’re running late
When you say “I’ll do X after Y,” you’ve already done Y, so there’s no excuse
The trigger creates a natural flow that’s harder to interrupt

Example trigger attachments:

After I wake up, I will read one page
After I brush my teeth, I will do one push-up
After I make coffee, I will meditate for one minute
After I sit down to eat, I will drink one glass of water

The science behind habit formation

Habits follow a specific neurological pattern called the habit loop:

Cue (Trigger) → Craving → Response → Reward

Your MVA and trigger work together to create this loop:

Cue: Your existing daily action (the trigger) Craving: The desire to maintain consistency and avoid breaking your streak Response: Your minimum viable action Reward: The satisfaction of completing your habit and maintaining your streak

The more you repeat this loop, the stronger the neural pathway becomes. Eventually, the habit becomes automatic and requires no conscious thought.

Research shows that habits take an average of 66 days to form. However, this varies widely depending on the complexity of the habit and the individual.

Common MVA mistakes to avoid

Setting the bar too high: If your MVA requires significant effort or time, you’ll find excuses to skip it.

Making it conditional: “I’ll read one page if I have time” gives you an out. Your MVA should be unconditional.

Changing it too often: Stick with the same MVA for at least a month before considering adjustments.

Adding complexity: Keep it as simple as possible. Don’t add requirements about location, equipment, or conditions.

Comparing to others: Your MVA should be based on your current reality, not what someone else is doing.

Advanced habit strategies

Once you’ve mastered the basic two-step method, you can add these strategies:

The streak method: Track your consecutive days of completing your habit. The longer your streak, the more motivated you’ll be to maintain it.

The expansion method: Once your MVA is automatic, gradually increase the amount. One page becomes two, then three, then a chapter.

The environment method: Make your habit easier by preparing your environment. Leave your book on your pillow, put your workout clothes by your bed.

The accountability method: Tell someone about your habit or use a habit-tracking app to create external accountability.

The celebration method: Give yourself a small reward after completing your habit to reinforce the behavior.

Real-world habit examples

Reading habit:

MVA: Read one page
Trigger: After I get into bed
Implementation: Keep a book on your nightstand, read one page before turning off the light

Exercise habit:

MVA: Do one push-up
Trigger: After I brush my teeth in the morning
Implementation: Do one push-up in the bathroom right after brushing

Meditation habit:

MVA: Sit quietly for one minute
Trigger: After I make my morning coffee
Implementation: Sit at the kitchen table for one minute before drinking your coffee

Writing habit:

MVA: Write one sentence
Trigger: After I open my laptop
Implementation: Write one sentence in a document before checking email

Water habit:

MVA: Drink one glass of water
Trigger: After I sit down to eat
Implementation: Pour a glass of water and drink it before taking your first bite

Troubleshooting common problems

“I keep forgetting to do my habit”

Your trigger might not be specific enough
Try a more obvious trigger that you never miss
Set a reminder on your phone as a backup

“I’m doing my MVA but not seeing results”

Remember that the MVA is just the foundation
Once it’s automatic, gradually increase the amount
Focus on consistency over intensity

“I broke my streak and now I’m discouraged”

Don’t let one missed day derail you
Start your streak again immediately
Remember that building habits is a long-term process

“My habit feels too small to matter”

Small habits compound over time
Consistency is more important than intensity
Trust the process and focus on building the habit first

The compound effect of habits

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Will Durant

This quote captures the essence of habit formation. Your daily actions, no matter how small, compound over time to create significant results.

One page per day becomes 365 pages per year. One push-up per day becomes 365 push-ups per year. One minute of meditation per day becomes 365 minutes of mindfulness per year.

The power comes from consistency, not intensity. Small actions repeated daily create far better results than intense actions performed sporadically.

Habits also create positive feedback loops. As you build one habit successfully, you develop confidence in your ability to change. This makes it easier to build additional habits.

Building multiple habits

Once you’ve successfully built one habit, you can apply the same method to others.

Key principles for multiple habits:

Build one habit at a time
Wait until the first habit is automatic before starting the second
Use different triggers for different habits
Keep each MVA small and simple

Example habit stack:

Habit 1: After waking up, drink one glass of water
Habit 2: After drinking water, do one push-up
Habit 3: After doing push-ups, read one page
Habit 4: After reading, meditate for one minute

Each habit becomes the trigger for the next, creating a powerful morning routine.

The bottom line

Building habits is not about willpower or motivation. It’s about strategy and consistency.

The two-step method works because it:

Eliminates the need for willpower
Creates automatic behavior
Builds momentum gradually
Makes failure almost impossible
Creates lasting change

Start today. Pick one habit you want to build, define your minimum viable action, and attach it to an existing trigger.

Be patient. Habits take time to form, but once they’re established, they become part of who you are.

Trust the process. Small actions repeated daily create extraordinary results over time.

Remember: you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent. One missed day doesn’t break a habit, but one day of starting again can rebuild it.

Try it this week. Pick one habit and apply the two-step method. Notice how much easier it is to maintain consistency when you start small and attach to existing routines.

The compound effect will surprise you. What feels insignificant today will transform your life over time.