In the 1960s, American plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz hypothesized that his patients needed at least 21 days to get used to their new appearance and form a different "mental image" of themselves. Sixty years on, experts are calling this 21-day theory into question
A new year brings new resolutions, whether it's getting back into exercise, eating a healthier diet or cutting screen time. And, according to a theory that has been around for decades, it supposedly takes 21 days for these new behaviors to become routine and take root in our daily lives. But is this really the case?
The origin of this theory dates back to the 1960s, when the American plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz hypothesized that his patients needed at least 21 days to get used to their new appearance and form a different "mental image" of themselves. This observation features in his famous book "Psycho-Cybernetics," which has become a bestseller and a reference in the world of wellness.