Over the past few decades we’ve discovered a lot about the science of habits and how God has hardwired us to operate, so we know more about successfully starting, stopping or changing a habit then ever before. For instance every habit has a cue, a routine, and a reward, which is why for each habit you want to change, you need to identify what cue triggers your habit and what reward you’re getting from it (and how to get that reward in a healthier way). The goal is to make good habits so ingrained that you actually begin to crave the habits and rewards, which will be how they become life-long habits.

But we also know why habits breakdown. Years ago social scientists and psychologists wanted to study Alcoholics Anonymous to see why it consistently has the highest success rate of those trying to break alcohol addiction. These preeminent scientists were a little frustrated because AA’s twelve steps aren’t founded on any scientific principles. A drunk in New York City back in the 1920s was tired of his addiction, got right with God and wanted to help others do the same. He picked twelve steps because there were twelve disciples and the rest is history.

So when they interviewed people who had successfully stayed sober for years through AA and asked them what made the difference, they didn’t like the answer they got, because the answer they got again and again was: God. Not exactly what a scientist wants to hear.

But here’s what these scientists discovered: they highlighted two things that AA does incredibly well to help people recover: belief that you can change (they weren’t willing to come out and say God, so they left it vague, but it’s okay to say God here), and the second aspect was community. One of the foundational principles of Alcoholics Anonymous is 90 meetings in 90 days. What that does is connect you to a group of people who can be a support structure when you’re on the edge of falling back into your old life.

So, two of the biggest reasons why habit change fails is because a lack of belief, you don’t really believe you can change, and a lack of community, there’s no one to help you through the inevitable valleys you’ll walk through trying to change your habits.

Conclusion: find a good church that preaches hope and offers community, and you’ll have a much better shot becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be!