Power of Habit

The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

Anatomy of a Habit

• Cue - something triggers the habit
• Routine - the habitual behavior
• Reward - something that makes your brain happy

Changing a Habit

Identify the routine

Which behavior needs to be eliminated?

Example: drinking a can of Coke every afternoon at work; it's too much sugar

Experiment with rewards

What reward is your brain really seeking?

Is it sugar? Try fruit instead. Is it caffeine? Try green tea with no sugar. Is it something cold to drink? Try cold water. After each experiment, record the first three things that come to mind. This helps capture your emotional state for future recollection. Eventually, you should identify the most important reward(s).

Isolate the Cue

What triggers the habit? It's probably one of

• Location
• Time of day
• Emotional state
• Other people
• Immediately preceding action

When you notice the habit being triggered, identify each of these five factors and record them. You should eventually see a pattern emerge.

Have a plan

Once you notice the cue, be ready with a substitute routine that offers the same reward. Plan for likely deviations that might require an alternative strategy.