THE POWER OF HABIT BY CHARLES DUHIGG

Key Concepts

The Habit Loop: Every habit is a neurological loop consisting of three parts:

• Cue: A trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and prompts a specific behavior. Cues can be a location, time of day, emotional state, other people, or an immediately preceding action.
• Reward: The immediate benefit or pleasure that helps your brain decide if this loop is worth remembering and repeating in the future. The anticipation or craving for the reward is what powers the loop and makes habits stick.
• The Golden Rule of Habit Change: You can't eliminate a bad habit entirely; the brain doesn't forget the pattern. Instead, you must replace the routine while keeping the original cue and reward. For a new routine to stick, you must believe change is possible, which is often easier with the support of a group or community.
• Keystone Habits: Some habits are more important than others because they trigger a chain reaction of other positive changes across different areas of life. Examples include regular exercise (which can lead to better eating and productivity) or making your bed every morning (which correlates with better budgeting and a greater sense of well-being). The key is to identify and focus on a few key priorities that act as powerful levers for wider transformation.
• Willpower as a Muscle: Willpower is a learnable skill that can be strengthened, much like a muscle. However, it gets fatigued with overuse. You can build willpower by practicing self-discipline in small, consistent ways and planning for moments when your willpower might be tested.
• Organizational Habits: Organizations also have habits that determine their culture and success. Leaders can intentionally design these habits, often using a crisis as an opportunity to implement fundamental change when existing patterns are disrupted.