From Good Intentions To Real Habits: The Science Of Making Change Stick

If you have ever set a New Year’s resolution, bought a fancy notebook and then quietly abandoned your plan by February, you are in good company.

Research shows that around 40–45% of what we do each day is habitual, yet most attempts to change behaviour still rely on willpower and vague goals.

This interactive online workshop is for people who are serious about changing something in their work or life, and who want tools they can also use with their teams. We will cut through the myths about “21 days to a habit” and look at what the evidence actually says about how long change takes and how to make it easier to sustain.

What we will cover

• Why most goals fail, even for smart, motivated people
• The truth about habit formation and why “21 days” is a myth
• The role of cues, rewards and environment in shaping behaviour
• How regular exercisers use simple time and place cues to stay consistent
• A simple life-wheel exercise to identify where change really matters right now
• How to design tiny, realistic routines that survive busy days

You will leave with

• One clearly defined supergoal translated into tiny daily or weekly routines
• A simple “If X, then I will Y” implementation plan you can follow and share with your team
• A checklist to spot when you are relying on willpower instead of smart design
• A repeatable process you can use with your direct reports in 1:1s or team meetings

Who this is for

• CEOs, founders and senior leaders who want to change how they work or live
• HR / L&D professionals who support behaviour change in managers
• Managers who need simple, evidence-based tools for their teams

If you are constantly saying “I know what I should do, I just do not do it consistently,” this session is for you.

Format and interaction

• Live online workshop
• Short inputs from Alastair, chat interaction and guided reflection
• Practical exercises using your own real goals, not theoretical case studies
• Optional sharing in pairs or small groups

Sessions are capped at a manageable group size to make sure there is time for questions and practical support.

About your facilitator

Alastair Wallace is a leadership trainer, business psychologist and CEO of Brainfood Ltd. Over 25+ years he has gone from first-line supervisor to leading multi-site operations and now runs award-winning leadership and management programmes, including his flagship How To Lead Your Team™ system. He specialises in turning behavioural science into simple tools that save managers time and help teams perform.

Attendees will also receive a short follow-up summary with the key models and habit-design questions used in the session, so you can revisit them and share them with colleagues.