coaxed downstairs step at a time

[Unregistered]

Dear Teachers.

I am not sure I understand the following sentence. Could someone explain this for me?

Mark Twain said that “habit is habit, and not to be flung out the window by anyone, but coaxed downstairs step at a time.” What does this mean by "coaxed downstairs step at a time.”

Thanks

Emily

[Tdol]

If you coax someone, you persuade them bit by bit to do something, so he means that in order to change a habit, you have to do it a little bit at a time, not all in one go.