This was a decent read. The author does a fine job of intertwining stories and theory. The key takeaways for me were the definition of "habit" and the concept of a "habit loop". A habit is defined as "the choices that all of us deliberately make at some point, and then stop thinking about but continue doing, often every day." A habit loop, on the other hand, is defined as consisting of cues, cravings, routines and rewards: a cue creates a craving and triggers a routine which leads to a reward, which ties back to the cue.
The author argues that once a habit loop is formed, it's difficult to change the cues and rewards that drive our cravings and it's easier instead to focus on changing our routines within the habit loop. The author further argues that long-term change is only truly possible with belief and belief is a whole lot of easier to obtain with the help of a group or community. Alcoholics Anonymous was cited as an example of these points.
As well as the methods of Alcoholics Anonymous, the standout examples from the book for me were those of how marketers use this knowledge of cues and rewards to create cravings within us. There was the example of Pepsodent toothpaste advertisements which target the craving for that cool, tingling sensation in our mouths after brushing above and beyond the craving for clean teeth. There was the example of Febreze spray advertisements which target the craving to make everything smell as nice as it looks above and beyond the craving to hide bad smells. Lastly, there was the example of Cinnabon and how their stores are located away from other food stores so that the smell of cinnamon rolls reach us early and so that the craving for one is ignited well before we see the store.
Below are some quotes from the book.
"When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision making. It stops working so hard, or diverts focus to other tasks."
"... habits emerge without our permission... families don't usually intend to eat fast food on a regular basis. What happens is that a once a month pattern slowly becomes once a week, and then twice a week... until the kids are consuming an unhealthy amount of hamburgers and fries."
"Every McDonald's... looks the same – the company deliberately tries to standardise stores' architecture and what employees say to customers, so everything is a consistent cue to trigger eating routines."
"Studies of people who have successfully started new exercise routines... show they are more likely to stick with a workout plan if they choose a specific cue, such as running as soon as they get home from work, and a clear reward, such as beer or an evening of guilt-free television."
"... habits are so powerful [because they] create neurological cravings. Most of the time, these cravings emerge so gradually that we're not really aware they exist, so we're often blind to their influence. But as we associate cues with certain rewards, a subconscious craving emerges in our brains that starts the habit loop spinning."
"... to overpower the habit, we must recognise which craving is driving the behaviour."
"... a cue and a reward, on their own, aren't enough for a new habit to last. Only when your brain starts expecting the reward – craving the endorphins or sense of accomplishment – will it become automatic to lace up your jogging shoes each morning. The cue, in addition to triggering a routine, must also trigger a craving for the reward to come."
"Claude Hopkins [the main behind the Pepsodent toothpaste commercials in the early 1900s] wasn't selling beautiful teeth. He was selling a sensation. Once people craved that cool tingling [in their mouths] – once they equated it with cleanliness – brushing became a habit."
"Shampoo doesn't have to foam, but we add foaming chemicals because people expect it each time they wash their hair. Same thing with laundry detergent. And toothpaste... There's no cleaning benefit, but people feel better when there's a bunch of suds around their mouth."
"Cravings are what drive habits. And figuring out how to spark a craving makes creating a new habit easier."
"... you can never truly extinguish bad habits. Rather, to change a habit, you must keep the old cue, and deliver the old reward, but insert a new routine. That's the rule: If you use the same cue, and provide the same reward, you can shift the routine and change the habit. Almost any behaviour can be transformed if the cue and reward stay the same."
"In order to offer alcoholics the same rewards they get at a bar, Alcoholics Anonymous has built a system of meetings and companionship – the 'sponsor' each member works with – that strives to offer as much escape, distraction and catharsis as a Friday night bender. If someone needs relief, they can get it from talking to their sponsor or attending a group gathering, rather than toasting a drinking buddy."
"Often, we don't really understand the cravings driving our behaviours until we look for them."
"If you identify the cues and rewards, you can change the routine. At least, most of the time. For some habits, however, there's one other ingredient that's necessary: belief."
"... for habits to permanently change, people must believe that change is feasible."
"Belief is easier when it occurs within a community."
"... a habit cannot be eradicated – it must, instead, be replaced."
"... habits are most malleable when the Golden Rule of habit change is applied: If we keep the same cue and the same reward, a new routine can be inserted... For a habit to stay changed, people must believe change is possible. And most often, that belief only emerges with the help of a group."
"If you want to change a habit, you must find an alternative routine, and your odds of success go up dramatically when you commit to changing as part of a group."
"When people start habitually exercising, even as infrequently as once a week, they start changing other, unrelated patterns in their lives, often unknowingly. Typically, people who exercise start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family. They use their credit cards less frequently and say they feel less stressed. It's not completely clear why. But for many people, exercise is a keystone habit that triggers widespread change."
"... willpower is the single most important keystone habit for individual success."
"Self-discipline has a bigger effect on academic performance than does intellectual talent... If you knew how to avoid the temptation of a marshmallow as a preschooler, it seemed, you also knew how to get yourself to class on time and finish your homework once you got older, as well as how to make friends and resist peer pressure."
"... once you understand that habits can change, you have the freedom – and the responsibility – to remake them. Once you understand that habits can be rebuilt, the power of habit becomes easier to grasp, and the only option left is to get to work."
