A habit is a routine or practice performed regularly and in many cases is automatic. Atomic is an extremely small amount of a thing; the single irreducible unit of a larger system.
We all have habits, good and bad. I never thought there would be enough information to create an entire book on the subject of habits, but I have been pleasantly surprised by this book!
"Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits." Your weight is a measure of your eating habits, your knowledge is a measure of your learning habits, etc. Clear states that good habits need to be persistent to become routine. He calls this the Plateau of Latent Potential. If you are struggling to form a good habit, you have not yet broken through the plateau. This takes patience. "All big things come from small beginnings." A habit is a single, tiny decision that when repeated day after day, becomes stronger and becomes automatic.
There is a science to how habits work. The process of building a habit can be broken down to 4 simple steps:
1. Cue. The cue tells your brain to initiate a behavior to predict a reward. (Notice the reward)
2.Craving. The cravings are the motivational force behind habits. Every craving is a desire for change. (Wanting the reward)
3.Response. The response is the actual habit you perform. (Obtaining the reward)
4. Reward. The reward is the end goal of what we hope to achieve. (Success!)
How do we create a good habit? There are 4 laws of behavior change that Clear explains.
Make it obvious
Make it attractive
Make it easy
Make it satisfying
One way to make it obvious is to do something called Habit Stacking. This formula is "After I (current habit), I will (New habit)." For example: After I have my morning coffee, I will floss my teeth. After I get into bed at night, I will meditate for 10 minutes. Habit stacking allows you to create a set of simple rules that guide your future behavior. Another way to make it obvious is by creating implementation intention. This formula is "I will (behavior) at (time) in (location). For example: I will exercise for 45 minutes at 6am at the gym, or I will read for 20 minutes at 9pm in my bedroom.
The more attractive we can make the habit, the more likely it will stick. Habits are dopamine-driven. We anticipate the reward and this gets us to take action. This is why the planning and daydreaming of your upcoming vacation can be more enjoyable than the actual trip.
We need to make it easy to create a good habit. Prime the environment so it's ready and supports your habit. For example: If you want to exercise more, lay out your shoes and workout clothes. If you want to eat healthier, than cut up fruits and vegetables and have them ready and accessible in the fridge. Use the 2 minute rule. "When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do." Nearly all habits can be scaled down to a 2 minute version. Starting small with a goal can become harder as it becomes more consistent. The point is to master the habit of showing up. Reading 1 page before bed can become reading for 30 minutes before bed. Automate your habits by using technology to make it easier. Is there an app or website that can help you?
Make a habit Satisfying. A way to do this could be to use visual measures to record progress. Things like moving a marble from one container to another, food journals, or workout logs. Habit tracking is a way to measure whether you did a habit. The most basic form is using a calendar and crossing off those days with an X when you complete your goal. Habit tracking keeps us honest and focused on the process, not just the end result. It helps you show up on the days you don't want to. It's important to remember that perfection is not possible. When you mess up, stick to a simple rule: never miss twice. Get right back on track. This is why "bad" workouts are often the most important. These days maintain the habit and continue the behavior. Don't put a zero down, showing up for something is better than nothing.
Clear also lists ways to break a bad habit. There are 4 ways to do this:
Make it Invisible. Reduce exposure and remove cues from your environment.
Make it unattractive. Reframe your mind set.
Make it Difficult. Increase the number of steps between you and your bad habit.
Make it unsatisfying. Ask someone to watch your behavior and help you stay accountable.
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend reading it. I learned a lot about habits and why we all struggle to create good habits and break bad ones. "If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change." This process in continuous and always improving. The secret is to show up even on the bad days and put in the work. Aim for tiny changes everyday. Remarkable results will follow.
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