Plan —Act—Record—Reassess
Some habits form effortlessly—checking your phone, snacking, scrolling social media.
Others, like exercising regularly, writing daily, or developing a new skill, seem frustratingly difficult to stick with.
Why?
The difference is an organized system–a structured PLAN that extends your desire–your intention.
Good habits happen when planned; bad habits happen on their own.
This is where P.A.R.R. (Plan, Act, Record, Reassess) comes in to play—a “new” scientific approach to habit formation (which, ironically, has been around for over 15 years).
If you want to develop intentional, goal-directed behaviors—habits that align with our goals the development of a simple plan makes your efforts much easier.
Unlike the former, outdated Cue-Routine-Reward model—a largely based on rodent behavior studies—P.A.R.R. leverages your uniquely human capacities:
Choice – We can decide which habits to develop. Intention – We can design and align habits with our goals and intelligence. Reflection – We can track, analyze, and refine habits over time.
This sort of goal-directed habit development and alignment process shifts habit formation from some sort of passive “habit loop” into an active, structured process—one that happens to, not coincidentally, mirror the scientific method. It puts you in control of your behavioral design and intelligence.
Old Science vs. New Science: The Evolution of Habit Formation
For decades, habit research fixated on the Cue-Routine-Reward model (aka the “habit loop”), popularized by books like The Power of Habit.
While helpful for understanding the formation of automatic behaviors, this model has major limitations for goal-directed, human intelligence.
The Old Habit Development Model: Cue-Routine-Reward (“The Habit Loop”)
This system proves itself for unintentional, reactive and reflexive habits, such as:
Checking your phone when you hear a notification. Snacking when you see food on the counter. Putting on a seatbelt when you get in a car.
These behaviors become automatic because external cues trigger responses without conscious thought.
However, for intentional, goal-directed habits—like exercising, writing, or skill-building—the habit loop is hardly ideal and lacks the intentional planning and refinement processes humans can employ to ensure they stay on track.
The Newer Model: P.A.R.R. (Plan, Act, Record, Reassess)
First introduced in The Habit Factor (2009), P.A.R.R. is the modern science of habit formation—one specifically designed for goal-directed behavior and habit alignment.
Plan → Set clear targets with measurable goals. Act → Execute against the plan. Record → Track progress binary style (1 = completed, 0 = missed), be sure to add comments each day! Reassess → Review, refine, and optimize the approach every 28 days.
By following P.A.R.R., you’re no longer leaving habit formation to chance—instead, you’re designing, measuring, and refining habits in an intelligent, non-reactive, and structured way.
This process ensures habit alignment, meaning your daily behaviors actively support your long-term goals.
P.A.R.R. is the Scientific Method of Habit Formation
It just so happens that the Scientific Method, mirrors the PARR process for habit deevelopment to a tee.
Science advances specifically through structured experimentation, tracking (data collection), and refinement—not random trial and error.
The PARR habit development method applies this same method to habit development, see below.
The Scientific Method for Behavior Change
Observation – Identify a problem or goal. Hypothesis – Develop a theory on what might work. Experiment – Test the hypothesis with real-world action. Data Collection – Track measurable results. Analysis & Adjustment – Refine the approach based on data.
How P.A.R.R. Applies the Scientific Method to Habit Formation
Plan → Formulate a hypothesis: “If I exercise three times a week, my energy will improve.” Act → Perform the habit as scheduled. Record → Track progress using a simple 1 or 0 system (Did it / Didn’t do it). Reassess → Analyze patterns, identify obstacles, and refine the habit strategy every 28 days.
This method ensures that habit formation isn’t based on motivation—it’s based on measurable, iterative progress.
Habits & Skills: The Fraternal Twins of Learning
Is that a habit or a skill? Good question.
You tell me—Is playing the piano a habit or a skill?
What about tying your shoes? Riding a bike?
Rather than focusing on their differences, we should recognize the strong connection between habits and skills—an association often overlooked in existing science.
Good habits are frequently seen as separate from skill development, but in reality, they follow the same learning process, particularly when they are goal-directed (intentional).
Take learning to tie your shoes or ride a bike—both require intentional practice.
That practice develops skill, and over time, both the habit of riding the bike and the skill of riding the bike shift from the slow, deliberate executive brain to the limbic system, where they become automatic.
The point is, when it comes to goal-directed habits and skills, both require intentional practice. When well-formed, both reside in the limbic region.
Both follow the Four Stages of Competence:
- Unconscious Incompetence – You don’t know what you don’t know.
- Conscious Incompetence – You recognize the effort required.
- Conscious Competence – You can do it, but it takes effort.
- Unconscious Competence – It becomes automatic.
Habits develop through repeated behavior until they become automatic. Skills develop through deliberate practice until they become second nature.
P.A.R.R. helps bridge the gap from effortful learning to automaticity—reinforcing the habit-skill connection.
BONUS: It’s the intentional practice of following PARR to cultivate any habit that fosters the discipline habit–an ancillary habit, skill, and trait.
Grab your free habits-to-goals tracking sheet here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates/
Capacity, Not Skill, as the Core of Habit Formation
A common misconception is that habit formation requires skill.
The late, great Stephen Covey used to explain that habit formation required three things: skill, desire, and knowledge.
Due to the similarities between habits and skills—how they are formed and where they reside—it is only language, behaviorally, that separates the two. Thus, skill cannot be a requirement for habit development. Rather, capacity is the requirement for both habit and skill development.
To develop the toothbrushing habit, you don’t need the skill of toothbrushing; you need the capacity to hold the toothbrush and move it around, as well as the knowledge and, most importantly, the desire.
This is a crucial yet subtle distinction that makes all the difference, helping to clarify the real requirements for habit development while more closely aligning skills and goal-directed habits as sharing the same developmental path.
This is precisely why P.A.R.R.—The Habit Factor’s method for habit development—has proven so efficacious.
Three Essential Components for Habit Development
- Capacity – Physical, cognitive, and emotional resources available to sustain the habit.
- Knowledge – Understanding of the behavior and how to execute it.
- Desire – Genuine motivation and alignment with personal goals.
If a habit isn’t sticking, the most common culprit is desire—a lack of genuine motivation. Without it, no amount of knowledge or capacity will drive consistent action.
This is precisely why habit tracking is essential—it sits at the intersection of desire and volition (will). Tracking serves as both a mirror and a motivator, reinforcing commitment, building self-efficacy, and revealing the gap between intention and action. It transforms fleeting motivation into sustained progress, making habit formation far more intentional and effective.
7 Benefits of Habit Tracking with P.A.R.R.
Increases Awareness & Intention – Tracking strengthens behavioral intelligence.
Creates a Data Feedback Loop – Empirical tracking leads to data-driven improvements.
Enhances Accountability – Self-monitoring reinforces commitment.
Builds Self-Efficacy – Achieving Minimum Success Criteria (MSC) builds confidence.
Generates Momentum – Visible progress fuels motivation.
Promotes Automaticity – Consistent tracking accelerates habit formation.
Develops Discipline – Tracking itself becomes a habit that strengthens self-control.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about P.A.R.R. and Habit Alignment
1. What makes P.A.R.R. different from the Habit Loop (Cue-Routine-Reward)?
P.A.R.R. (or PARR) is specifically designed for intentional, goal-directed behavior—it’s not just about automatic habit loops. P.A.R.R. allows users to leverage their innate capacities of choice, intention, and reflection, making habit formation a conscious and strategic process.
Thus, planning, tracking, and reassessment become integral, creating a more intentional, human-centered, and structured approach to building powerful habits.
2. Can P.A.R.R. help me break bad habits?
Yes! Instead of trying to “eliminate” a bad habit outright, P.A.R.R. helps you replace it with a goal-aligned behavior. By tracking your progress, you can systematically reduce undesirable habits while reinforcing new, positive ones.
3. How long does it take for a habit to stick using P.A.R.R.?
Research varies, but the key is repetition with reassessment. P.A.R.R. operates in 28-day tracking cycles, allowing for ongoing adjustments based on real data. While the best scientific research suggests 67 days, the truth is based upon all the variables above–desire perhaps the greatest of all, there is no set period of time. You’ll know a habit is beginning when it begins to feel more automatic.
4. Does habit tracking actually improve success rates?
Absolutely. Studies show that habit tracking increases awareness, accountability, and motivation, leading to higher success rates in habit formation.
Conclusion: Your Habits, Your Life
Your habits shape your intelligence, behavior, and future.
Unlike a lab rat, you have choice, intention, and reflection. Use them.
Intentionally craft habits that align with your goals, values, and aspirations. Shape your future—one experiment at a time.
Start today. Plan, Act, Record, Reassess.
P.A.R.R. isn’t just a method—it’s a life-changing framework for intentional behavior change.
Grab your free habits-to-goals tracking sheet here: https://thehabitfactor.com/templates/