Written by: Vickie Sullivan | September 30, 2025
Why Old Habits Won’t Die: What Drives Resistance to Change
Anyone who has worked with people knows that changing habits is not for the faint of heart. Just when you think new approaches are taking hold, resistance to change shows up and old patterns come roaring back, often in more covert ways.
I saw a presentation recently in which the speaker shed light on why habits—even harmful ones—have such staying power. The speaker cited two powerful reasons:
• Security blankets. Routines provide comfort in a storm of uncertainty. Asking people to let go of those habits feels like asking them to give up their security blanket, the thing that helped them weather many storms.
• They worked before. Yes, times have changed, but those old approaches delivered results in the past. This is why resistance to change is so strong: People don’t view it as “what will I gain?” but instead, “what will I lose?”
Empty pep talks or harsh consequences won’t overcome resistance to change. What does work is acknowledging and addressing the emotional side of change—the fears and attachments that drive behavior.
As the presenter put it: “People don’t resist change, they resist loss.” That reality deserves our empathy and encouragement. If we want lasting impact, we must take off the rose-colored glasses and deal directly with the emotions behind resistance to change.
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