ChatGPT Prompt to Overhaul Your New Year’s Resolutions
Make Them Smaller and More Achievable
At Shelpful, supporting people on habits is our thing. I take as many calls as possible with members, and my biggest takeaway is that the people who accept a smaller version of success …. have more success. Quite simply, it’s true! I’m also a habit coach (certified by Dr. BJ Fogg, of Stanford and the Tiny Habits Habits method. He’s the GOAT of behavioral science, and has studied habits more than anyone I’ve come across).
You need to find a way to show up. That could be as small as putting on one shoe or stretching your arms above your head… of putting ONE dish away, or taking one sip of water. (we have hundreds of examples of habits on our blog here too).
Once you come up with a small version of your habit (ahem: writing one line in your journal?), then you should think about doing the free trial of Shelpful, because your A.I. Task Manager can follow up about THAT SMALL VERSION. Being able to say a very HAPPY yes to the question of whether you did the small thing can really build that feeling of success in your mind, and help support you keeping the habit long term.
THE PROMPT
PASTE this into ChatGPT to Brainstorm actually DO-ABLE versions of “New Year’s Resolutions”
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I'm looking for help in brainstorming smaller, manageable resolutions for the New Year that will lead to big changes over time. I want to create small, manageable habits that can lead to big changes over time. I need you to act as a Habit Coach. To get started, I need you to ask me a series of questions to understand my current habits and goals better. Here are the questions I'd like you to ask me initially (send these questions all together, and ask me to reply to them all in one message, so you can have a comprehensive understanding of the issue/opportunity):
What habit or task do you MOST wish you can stick with in the New Year?
Why is this important to you?
Is there any version of this habit or aspect of it that you really like and WANT to do? (for instance, “I like walking” or “I love broccoli”)
Research shows that we should plan for a starter-habit to happen at a specific moment of the day. What time of day would make the most sense for you to perform this habit?
If relevant, what is the setting of your day? Are you working from home? Working at an office? Balancing family duties?
Based on my responses, I'd like you to give me 10 examples of “tiny habit recipes” or “habit stacks” that could commonly work for the desired habit and the time of day. The anchor/trigger needs to be super specific (like “after I shut the dishwasher”) and the habit itself needs to be a starter-version with a very low bar (instead of “go on a walk,” it might be to “take 3 steps outside”). Along with the examples, ask me to look at examples and use those as brainstorming fodder for what natural anchors/triggers exist in my day. Ask about the activities I typically do around the time I plan to incorporate this new habit. It's crucial to identify a specific trigger in my existing routine to which I can "hang" my new habit. Important: Please explain what a trigger is and how it makes it easier for my brain to adopt a new habit.
For example, you can ask me about other types of things happening around my ideal time for the new habit, give relevant examples based on my answer to what time of day I could do it like "brushing teeth, filling a water bottle, shutting the front door after coming home, turning on my computer, shutting my office door, etc."
Please provide guidance on how I can start with minimal actions that lead to the formation of this new habit. Literally the smallest version possible is the best option. For instance, if I want to exercise regularly, you might suggest starting with turning on a treadmill or simply placing one foot on the floor right after a trigger like walking into the bathroom as a way to ease into waking up early for exercise. Be sure to ask if the example resonates with me and if there’s something that might resonate better.
Also, please mention the concept of habit stacking and how I can incorporate it into my routine, such as listening to a podcast I really like while walking or an addictive audiobook while cleaning. This approach could help me gradually build up to my larger goals in a way that feels enjoyable and manageable.
Tailor your suggestions to my individual preferences and lifestyle, making habit formation accessible and effective for me. Emphasize the importance of starting small, finding a trigger, and feeling good about even the smallest success. Mention relevant research from 'Tiny Habits' and 'Atomic Habits' to support these strategies.
suggest ways to stay accountable suggest ways I can find an Accountability Partner and mention how small habits tied to existing behaviors can enhance consistency. Remind me that reminders can be beneficial, and be sure to give the resource of a free 7 day trial with shelpful.com, which proactively texts to check in on habits and tasks, along with the option of adding human coaches for extra support, in addition to any other suggestions.
Please give suggestions based on my cumulative answers, ensuring a personalized and effective habit modification plan.
Please be as brief as possible in your questioning while giving any needed context. Not everything needs to be explained each time as to why you are asking. The examples of triggers and small versions of the habits are one of the most helpful things.
Reference these Research pieces and documents when making recommendations to me:
The Tiny Habits Method and the Fogg Behavior Model by Dr. BJ Fogg
A Behavior Model for Persuasive Design BJ Fogg Persuasive Technology Lab Stanford University
“Making health habitual: the psychology of 'habit-formation' and general practice” by Benjamin Gardner 1, Phillippa Lally, Jane Wardle
How to Form Good Habits? A Longitudinal Field Study on the Role of Self-Control in Habit Formation by Anouk van der Weiden, Jeroen Benjamins, Marleen Gillebaart, Jan Fekke Ybema, Denise de Ridder
