Habits decide your future!
Habit = routine of behavior
"First We make habits then our habits make us"
L = ΣH
L : Your life today
H : Habits
M = H+P
M : Mastery
P : Deliberate Practice
Your life today is essentially the sum of your habits.
How in shape or out of shape you are? A result of your habits.
How happy or unhappy you are? A result of your habits.
How successful or unsuccessful you are? A result of your habits.
"The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom."
What you repeatedly do (i.e. what you spend time thinking about and doing each day) ultimately forms the person you are, the things you believe, and the personality that you portray.
The four stages of habit:
Problem phase :
(1). Cue
(2). Craving
Solution phase :
(3). Response
(4). Reward
This four-step pattern is the backbone of every habit, and your brain runs through these steps in the same order each time.
The Cue: The Starting Point for Behavior
A cue is the trigger that gets your brain to start a behavior. It's a signal that something rewarding might be nearby. For our ancient ancestors, cues were things like signs of food, water, or potential mates. These were all essential for survival.
In modern life, we focus on different kinds of rewards—like money, social status, praise, approval, or personal achievement. Even though these rewards are more complex, they still help us succeed in life and, in the long run, improve our chances of survival and happiness.
Your brain is constantly scanning the environment, both inside and outside, for clues that hint where these rewards might be found. When it recognizes a cue, it kicks off a craving for whatever reward might follow, setting the stage for action.
Craving: The Drive Behind Habits
Cravings are what push us to act—they’re the motivational force behind every habit. Without craving some kind of change, we wouldn’t have any reason to do something. Importantly, we don’t actually crave the habit itself; what we really want is the result or the feeling it gives us.
For example, you don’t crave smoking a cigarette—you crave the feeling of relaxation it provides. You don’t crave brushing your teeth; you crave the feeling of a clean mouth. You don’t turn on the TV for the sake of it—you do it because you want to be entertained. Every craving is tied to the desire to change how we feel inside.
Cravings also vary from person to person. What triggers a craving for one person might mean nothing to someone else. For a gambler, the sound of slot machines can trigger a strong urge to play, while for someone else, it's just background noise. A cue only leads to a craving if the person interprets it that way, based on their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Response: Taking Action
The response is the third step in the habit loop, and it’s the actual behavior you perform. This can be a physical action or even just a thought. Whether you respond or not depends on two things: how motivated you are and how easy or hard the action is.
If a task feels too difficult or takes too much effort, you probably won’t do it. On the other hand, if it feels manageable, you're more likely to take action. Your ability to perform the habit is also important. For example, if you want to dunk a basketball but can’t jump high enough, you simply won’t be able to do it.
In short, a habit can only happen if you’re both motivated and able to complete the action. If either one is missing, the response won’t occur.
Reward: The Payoff of Habits
The final step in the habit loop is the reward. This is the end goal of every habit. The cue is about noticing the possibility of a reward, the craving is about wanting it, and the response is about getting it. We pursue rewards for two main reasons: (1) they satisfy our needs and desires, and (2) they teach us valuable lessons.
Rewards complete the habit cycle and reinforce the behavior.
Why Rewards Matter:
Satisfaction: The first job of a reward is to satisfy your craving. Rewards give us immediate benefits. For example, food gives you energy, a promotion boosts your income and status, and exercising improves your health and confidence. These rewards offer relief and contentment, at least temporarily, by fulfilling whatever craving you had—whether it was hunger, recognition, or approval.
Learning: The second purpose of rewards is to teach us which actions are worth repeating. Your brain acts like a reward detector, constantly monitoring which actions lead to pleasure or satisfaction. Positive feelings encourage you to remember and repeat useful actions in the future, while disappointment signals that something didn’t work as expected. This feedback helps your brain figure out which behaviors to keep and which to avoid.
In short, rewards are what keep habits going by satisfying cravings and teaching us which actions bring us closer to what we want.
The Habit Loop: How Habits Form
For a behavior to become a habit, it has to go through all four stages of the habit loop: cue, craving, response, and reward. If any of these steps are missing, the habit won’t form.
- If you eliminate the cue, the habit never starts.
- If you reduce the craving, there won’t be enough motivation to act.
- If the behavior is too difficult, you won’t be able to complete the response.
- And if the reward isn’t satisfying, you won’t have a reason to repeat the behavior in the future.
In short, without the first three steps, the behavior won’t happen. Without all four, it won’t become a habit.
Here’s how it works:
- The cue triggers a craving.
- The craving motivates a response (the behavior).
- The response leads to a reward that satisfies the craving.
- The reward becomes linked to the cue, and the cycle continues.
This cue-craving-response-reward loop forms a feedback cycle in your brain, helping to create automatic habits over time.
| Stages of habit | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Problem Phase | Solution Phase | ||||
| 1.Cue | 2.Craving | 3.Response |
4.Reward |
||
| Trigger | Signal | Environment | Routine | ||
| Desire | Motivation | Urge | Anticipation | ||
| Action | Behavior | Effort | Repetition | ||
| Satisfaction | Reinforcement | Pleasure | Fulfillment | ||
Build Good Habits: The Four-Step Process
The secret to lasting habits is to focus on who you want to be, not just what you want to do. Start by shaping your identity (how you see yourself), then build the process (the actions you take), and finally, enjoy the results (the rewards you get).
Here’s a four-step guide to building positive habits that stick:
1. Cue: Make It Obvious
The first step is to become aware of your habits and the cues that trigger them, which are usually linked to time and place. Write down your habits and identify when and where they occur.
Pro Tips:
Use an "implementation intention": "I will [new habit] at [time] in [location]."
Try "habit stacking": "After [current habit], I will [new habit]."
Examples:
"I will exercise for 30 minutes at 8 p.m. in my building’s gym."
"After I pour my coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute."
Design Your Environment:
Make it easy for your good habits to shine! If you want to drink more water, for example, place water bottles in visible spots around your house.
2. Craving: Make It Attractive
Cravings drive habits, and we tend to follow habits that feel rewarding. Increase motivation by pairing something you want to do with something you need to do.
Examples:
Pairing: "I’ll listen to my favorite podcast while I fold laundry."
Social Influence: Surround yourself with people who already practice the habit you want to adopt—whether it’s exercising or reading more.
3. Response: Make It Easy
A habit is more likely to stick if it’s simple to do. Start small and lower the barriers to good habits.
Pro Tips:
Take small, easy actions. If you want to start running, just begin by tying your shoes.
Prep ahead: Set out your workout clothes, chop vegetables on the weekend, or keep a book nearby if you want to read daily.
Key Insight:
It’s not how long you’ve done something, but how many times you’ve done it. Repetition is the key to making habits automatic.
4. Reward: Make It Satisfying
We repeat actions that make us feel good. The quicker the reward, the more likely the habit will stick.
Pro Tips:
Celebrate small wins: Reward yourself immediately after completing your habit to feel successful.
Use habit trackers: Marking your progress feels rewarding and motivates you to keep going.
Never miss twice: If you skip a day, try to get back on track the next day.
Breaking Bad Habits
: The Four-Step Process
Just as good habits can compound positively, bad habits do the opposite. They lead to stress, negative thoughts, and frustration. To break bad habits, you can flip the habit-building process on its head:
1. Cue: Make It Invisible
Reduce exposure to the triggers of your bad habits. It’s easier to avoid temptation than to resist it.
Pro Tips:
Remove or hide the cues that make you slip.
Spend less time in environments that encourage your bad habits.
Examples:
Leave your phone in another room if you’re getting distracted at work.
Unfollow social media accounts that spark envy or jealousy.
Delete time-wasting apps like games or social media from your phone.
2. Craving: Make It Unattractive
Change the way you think about your bad habits. Make them less appealing by focusing on the negative impact they have on your life.
Pro Tips:
Reframe your mindset. For example, instead of thinking, "I have to quit smoking," say, "I want to protect my lungs and feel healthier."
Highlight the benefits of stopping the bad habit, not just the pain of doing it.
3. Response: Make It Difficult
Make it harder to do the bad habit. Increase the friction—add more steps between you and the behavior you're trying to quit.
Pro Tips:
Set up barriers that make your bad habits less convenient.
Use tools like website blockers or remove tempting items from your home.
Examples:
If you’re trying to cut sugar, don’t keep sugary snacks in the house.
Use a website blocker to limit time on distracting websites.
Mute notifications on your phone to stop getting distracted by constant messages.
4. Reward: Make It Unsatisfying
We’re less likely to repeat a bad habit if it feels unpleasant or unsatisfying. Add a layer of accountability to keep yourself on track.
Pro Tips:
Get an accountability partner who checks in on you.
Set up penalties for yourself when you slip up.
Example:
If you miss a workout or break a habit streak, you might have to donate to a cause you don’t like. Knowing someone is watching can be a powerful motivator.
The Fake loop: Beware of the "Boredom Trap"
The "Fake Loop" refers to the danger of getting stuck in a cycle where habits become automatic, but we stop paying attention to them. This creates the illusion of progress, but in reality, we may be making small mistakes or drifting away from our goals without realizing it.
The Fake Loop Breakdown:
Upside of Habits:
Once a habit is formed, it’s easy to do things without much thought. You’re on autopilot, which saves energy and effort.
Downside of Habits:
The problem is, when you stop paying attention, you can miss small errors or ignore signs that you’re slipping. Habits can become mindless routines, and you may lose the focus needed to refine or improve them.
Why This is Dangerous:
When you fall into the fake loop, it feels like you’re still doing the work, but in reality, you’ve lost the sharpness and purpose behind your actions. This can lead to stagnation or even regression, where your habits aren’t as effective as they once were.
Solution: Stay Alert and Reflect
To avoid getting stuck in the fake loop, you need to regularly reflect on your habits and performance. Ask yourself: Are my habits still serving me? Am I improving? What small adjustments could help me get better results? By staying mindful, you’ll keep your habits fresh and effective!
By staying mindful and aware of the boredom trap, you can avoid the fake loop and continue to grow and improve over time!
