How to change a habit

I have just read an interesting book. It's called "Change Anything" by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Al Switzler, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan...

It feels like a genuine book with a lot of tips in. They say that it's not our willpower that fails us when we fail to change... no matter if we want to lose weight, quit gamble or go to bed on time in the evening.
There are 6 influencers that affect us.
Personal: Motivation/abilities
Social: Accomplices / Friends
Structural: Incitaments / Space

An interesting idea in the book is that we don't need to watch to fall into our "bad behaviour" all the time. It's a few times a day that perhaps are the most important times. The authors call them "crucial moments". For instance.

When do you feel the urge to gamble? What are your crucial moments? Think about it! If we can work on those moments, creates a way to handle the urge to gamble then... then we will help our willpower rather than work against it.

For me, the crucial moment is when I'm bored in the evening. When the kids have fallen asleep. What are yours?

I have heard it said in the 12-step rooms of AA that if will-power worked for not drinking, there would be no alcoholics.
It is about behavior change. "If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got". The slogans in AA might sound corny to some, but it is wisdom and truth that can be easily remembered on a simple level. I needed to have other people as I could not have sustained recovery alone (believe me, I tried it many times).
I was told to choose a slogan (First things First) to help train my mind about priorities and good judgement. I used the phrase daily and put it into action to the best of my ability.
When I physically quit alcohol, my body craved sweets. Sugar was infinitely safer than alcohol (for me) and eventually my body adjusted to moderation.
I had other routines when I drank that I had to quit as well. Like smoking, sneaking and stinking-thinking. I told myself that from that moment on, I could be a different person, literally anyone who I wanted to be. I saved the best parts (calm, kindness and honesty, etc) and discarded the old me.
Life has been manageable and my health has returned. I never want to go back to what I was. Life may not always be easy, but today it is real. I respect my self and the decisions I make today. It is one day at a time.
Best of luck to you.

Such an inspiration Wally! It sounds like you've had a journey and I agree with you. It's not about willpower, it's about changing one or more habits.

Hope I'm not late, but when it comes to habit building I've found that what works for me is doing something so regularly (like exercise) that when you'll want to skip it one time you start to feel guilty and just do the activity to avoid the guilt.

Feeling guilty isn't the most positive thing in the world, but hey, if it sticks me to a routine and habit, then it works I guess.

On the plus side, I do feel better about myself when I stick it through and do what I was supposed to.