Habits are hard to break

For the past 10+ years my address has been PO Box 85. Now it is PO Box 574. I have moved a lot. In the past 10 years I have moved 5 times. Never has it been such a challenge to write down my new address. Three months later more than half the time I am writing PO Box 85 Bondville VT 05340. I don't just get the box number wrong, I get the whole thing wrong. Often.

Why? Because the first part, the "PO Box" triggers an automatic behavior. One I write PO Box I stop thinking and muscle memory takes over. I bet if my new address was something like 123 Main Street getting the new address correct would be less of a challenge.

Those who have trained with me, especially people working on changing a behavior in their dogs, have heard the following reminder:

"It is much easier to create a new behavior than it is to get the old behavior to stop."

Whether you are fixing an exercise for competition or trying to change a household manners behavior, it is often more effective if the new behavior is totally incompatible with the old behavior. At least at first. If we can break into that automatic, rote behavior that has been rehearsed over and over again before it starts then we are more likely to change or modify the event. Try to make the exercise or event have a whole new context rather than make it look similar to the old way. Remember that every time the exercise is done wrong the old way is being rehearsed and solidified. This is true often regardless of whether we reinforce the behavior or not.If you are trying to fix something try to arrange things so that the opportunity to rehearse the old behavior is not there.

I however, lacking that option, think I will just get pre-printed address labels. Maybe after a year or so I will have forgotten my old behavior/address. Maybe.....