Your Brain on Autopilot

Your Brain on Autopilot: Why Change Feels So Hard

"I welcome change—as long as nothing is altered or different."

This quote made me laugh when I first read it. But isn’t it oddly relatable? Change sounds great in theory, yet when it actually happens, it feels uncomfortable, even impossible at times. This resistance to change hit me hard recently, leading to a big "aha" moment during my coaching sessions. Curious, I dove into an article called Your Brain on Change by Jordan Rickard, and it opened my eyes to why we struggle with change so much—both personally and professionally.

My Whole 30 Experiment: A Wake-Up Call

Last week, I decided to give the Whole 30 diet another try…for the 47th time. It’s a 30-day eating plan that cuts out sugar, flour, alcohol, and other processed foods. Easy, right? It’s just 30 days. Wrong. By day three, my cravings were off the charts. Everything I saw felt like a temptation. But I pushed through and made it through the first week.

Then it hit me: it’s not about the diet being hard—it’s about my brain being on autopilot. I used to eat clean all the time. Years ago, after a cancer diagnosis, I cut out sugar, alcohol, and unhealthy carbs effortlessly. So why does it feel so hard now? Turns out, it’s not me. It’s how our brains are wired.

Why Your Brain Loves Autopilot

Our brains are designed for efficiency. They want to conserve energy, which means they rely on routines and repetition. Think about it: brushing your teeth, driving to work, or following your morning routine requires almost no thought because your brain runs those tasks on autopilot. It’s great for simple tasks but a roadblock when we need to make changes.

The same thing happens at work. Maybe you’ve mastered a certain process or software. Suddenly, a new system is introduced, and your brain pushes back: "This is too hard." It’s not laziness; it’s your brain resisting extra effort. It’s programmed to repeat familiar patterns, whether they’re helpful or not.

The Trouble With Comfort Habits

Here’s the kicker: your brain loves repetition even if the behavior doesn’t serve you. Overeating, overworking, scrolling social media for hours—all of these habits feel effortless because they’re ingrained. Breaking those habits, on the other hand, takes conscious effort, which your brain naturally resists.

Worse, when a habit is tied to an emotion, like comfort or pride, it’s even harder to change. For me, unhealthy eating feels like joy and comfort, while overworking feels like accomplishment. Breaking free from those associations takes more than willpower—it takes strategy.

Why Change Feels Exhausting

Think about the last time you learned something new. Maybe it was a full-day training at work or learning a new hobby. By the end of the day, you felt mentally drained. That’s because your brain had to work overtime to process unfamiliar information. The same thing happens when you try to change a habit. The effort feels overwhelming, and it’s easy to fall back into old routines.

How to Rewire Your Brain for Success

Here’s the good news: change is possible, and it’s simpler than you think. The secret is to outsmart your autopilot. Here’s how:

1. Pay Attention to Your Autopilot Behaviors

Start by observing your current habits—both the ones you want to keep and the ones you want to change. Self-awareness is key. Once you identify what’s on autopilot, you can begin to take control.

2. Plan Ahead and Visualize Success

Don’t leave decisions to the moment. Your brain will always default to the easier, familiar choice. Whether it’s meal prepping for the week or organizing your work tasks on a calendar, planning removes the need for in-the-moment decision-making. Visualization isn’t just a trendy concept—it works. If you imagine yourself succeeding, you’re more likely to follow through.

3. Commit and Honor Your Plan

Treat your commitments to yourself as sacred. If you plan to eat a salad for lunch or stick to a to-do list at work, follow through. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about building trust with yourself.

4. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Change takes repetition. The point when it feels hardest is often the tipping point when your new behavior starts becoming a habit. Push through the discomfort and keep going. Remember: failure isn’t a character flaw. It’s part of the process.

Small Steps, Big Wins

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but it starts with small, intentional actions. Observe your habits. Plan ahead. Visualize your success. And most importantly, stay consistent. When you train your brain to adopt new behaviors, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success.

The next time you’re tempted to fall back into old habits, remember: you’re not fighting your willpower. You’re just rewiring your brain. And that’s a challenge you’re more than capable of conquering.