The biggest barrier to positive change at any level—individual, team, society—is identity conflict. Good habits can make rational sense, but if they conflict with your identity, you will fail to put them into action.

Instead of moping about it, say to yourself, ‘I know what it is. It’s the withdrawal pang from nicotine. That’s what smokers suffer all their lives and that’s what keeps them smoking. Non-smokers do not suffer these pangs. It is another of the many evils of this drug. Isn’t it marvellous I am purging this evil from my body!’

achieve those goals without considering the beliefs that drive their actions. They never shift the way they look at themselves, and they don’t realize that their old identity can sabotage their new plans for change.

Behavior that is incongruent with the self will not last. You may want more money, but if your identity is someone who consumes rather than creates, then you’ll continue to be pulled toward spending rather than earning. You may want better health, but if you continue to prioritize comfort over accomplishment, you’ll be drawn to relaxing rather than

When working for you, identity change can be a powerful force for self-improvement. When working against you, though, identity change can be a curse.