_posts/2014-12-15-the-power-of-habit.md
---
layout: post
title: Power of Habit
share: true
published: false
---
Charles Duhigg explains what habits are and how to create/change them. First four chapters explain
habits in individuals, last chapters explain habits in organizations.
# Habit Loop
A habit is made up of: a cue, routine, and reward. To create a habit:
1. Pick a Cue
2. Choose a Reward
3. Execute the Routine
4. Experiment with different cues/rewards until routine sticks
Example: I want to go to the gym every day.
Step 1: I'll leave my running shoes by the door. Or set a phone alarm at 7PM every day. Or I'll find
an exercise buddy to call. You can use one or multiple cues.
Step 2: After going to the gym, I'll reward myself with a piece of chocolate. Or I'll spend 30
minutes on Facebook. Or I'll watch an episode of Game of Thrones.
Step 3: Over the next week, I'll test out different cue/reward combinations. 7PM -> gym ->
chocolate. Shoes -> gym -> TV. Eventually, I find out that around 7PM, I'll start craving for an
episode of Game of Thrones! That's a new habit loop that will stick with me.
Step 4: I'll write down this new habit (studies show writing it down will help make it sticky).
Every day at 7PM, I'll go to the gym. When finished, I'll watch one Game of Thrones episode.
Research suggests 5 most popular cues are: location, time, emotional state, other people, and event.
Start with those when picking a cue.
# Keystone Habits
A **keystone habit** is an initial habit you create which causes a domino effect of establishing
other habits.
When starting out, focus on a single habit to create/change. Accomplishing this will trigger more
positive changes later on.
For example, Alcoa was a company in financial trouble until a new CEO took over and changed one
keystone habit: safety. He focused the entire company on the same goal. Having everyone on the same
page improved teamwork, which improved communication, which improved autonomy. By the next year,
profits were soaring high.
# "Quitting" a Habit
How to break an existing habit: you can't. But you can replace the routine.
The cue cannot be changed. The reward is difficult to change, removing it will only present
frustration. Instead, identify the cue/reward and replace the routine. Overtime, the new routine
will become automatic.
Often times, only the routine is known. You'll have to figure out what the cue/rewards are before
you replace the routine.
# Willpower and Habits
Willpower is the ability to control yourself and the strong determination that allows you to do
something difficult.
Willpower is a muscle that can be strengthened or overused. Making many decisions depletes our
willpower - hence automatic habits helps by making decisions automatically. Don't waste your
willpower on small choices - think Steve Jobs and how he wears the same outfit everyday.
# Power of a Crisis
A crisis can be used to catalyze change and create new habits.
Example in London, a fire which claimed many lives in the underground changed how the public
transportation system worked. The disaster catalyzed an entire system overhaul. Before it was a
system of independent groups, each feared treading on the other one's territory. Now, each group can
offer suggestions and feedback with greater communication.
# How Target Knows What You Want Before You Do
Consumers form habits around which products they buy: they stick to the same brand, same store, same
products.
Companies try to get consumers to pick their brand. Data mining is used to predict what customers
want before they need it. Target knows which customers will be pregnant before they're even
pregnant, then advertisements for pregnancy products are sent to them.
# Social Connections and Habits
Social groups can be used to create/change habits with great success.
Alcoholics Anonymous replaces the routine of drinking with other activities. Cues such as feeling
lonely still occur but the activity of drinking is replaced with calling your sponsor. Social
gatherings with alcohol present are replaced with AA meetings.
# Neurology of Free Will
Habits are weak: a small change to the cue might collapse the habit. Habits are strong: if the cue
persists - the activity will always persist even against free will.
McDonalds does their best to make every restaurant the same. Same decoration, same behavior from
employees, same taste, same architecture, same layout. This creates multiple cues for their
customers - who become addicted to fast food. Studies have shown that a single change can collapse
the habit. A customer who goes to McDonalds weekly will stop their habit if the location ever closes
down.
Habits are used by casinos to create addicted gamblers. Cues are all over the casino: alcohol,
sounds, and lights. The brain develops the habit, even if you don't want it. This ends up creating
gambling addicts.