Introduction
Have you done something so automatically – like exercising or drinking alcohol after work – that you don’t know you’re doing it? Well, that’s what experts call a ‘habit.’
According to the American Psychological Association, it’s “a well-learned behavior or automatic sequence of behaviors that is relatively situation-specific and over time has become motorally reflexive and independent of motivational or cognitive influence.”
In plain terms, it’s something you do “with little or no conscious intent.”
And while it may not feel like it, habits play a crucial role in our daily lives. They help improve outcomes, enhance self-esteem, and reduce stress and anxiety, among many others.
So if you want to know more about these habits – mainly how they form and how to use them to your advantage – then make sure to read below.
What is the Habit Loop
Habits, whether good or bad, don’t just rise out of the blue. They are a culmination of three steps, which journalist Charles Duhigg calls the ‘Habit Loop.’
Step 1: Cue
The first one is the cue, also known as the reminder. It’s what sets your habit (whether good or bad) into motion.
Cues can take the forms of locations, times, emotions, people – even the last thing you did. For example, the time (3 pm – coffee break!) or the feeling of sleepiness can prompt you to make that cup of Joe.
It’s what Duhigg calls a…
Step 2: Routine
Simply put, it’s your repeated behavior (or habit).
Taking the example above, certain cues (sleepiness or time) can prod you to do something automatically – such as drink coffee.
You haven’t consciously thought about doing it. It’s just something that came to you naturally.
The same can be said with drinking beers because you feel stressed – or online shopping because you received a sale notification.
Step 3: Reward
The last phase is the reward, which is what you get from doing the routine. Needless to say, it’s what makes you do your habit repeatedly.
You drink your coffee because you feel awake and energetic after drinking it.
You drink alcohol because it helps reduce your stress. (And while it’s true in a way, such effects occur at high doses – particularly ones that cause physical harm and/or addiction. Of course, this topic deserves a separate discussion.)
Habit Loop and the Interesting Case of Alcoholics Anonymous
While the habit loop has led most people into the throes of alcoholism, it is the same factor that made Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) successful.
According to Duhigg, AA has capitalized on this loop to introduce a more positive habit.
So instead of drinking, attendees opt for a better routine – like speaking with a sponsor or attending meetings whenever they feel stressed.
Likewise, these activities lead to the same pleasurable result – a feeling of relaxation – without the buzz.
Why Habit Loops are Important to Personal Development
Whether it’s exercising or drinking alcohol to oblivion, it’s obvious how habits lead to (or get in the way of) personal development.
As Duhigg puts it: “The brain can almost completely shut down. … And this is a real advantage because it means you have all of this mental activity you can devote to something else.”
In other words, “You can do (other) complex behaviors without being mentally aware of it at all.”
That’s why habits often lead to improved outcomes, better self-esteem, and reduced stress, among many others.
Unsurprisingly, habits – especially the good ones- can lead to long-term success too. Just take the case of Warren Buffet, one of the world’s most famous investors.
As of writing, he has a whopping net worth of $103 billion.
Buffett believes that his voracious reading habit has made him the successful tycoon that he is.
“Read 500 pages…every day. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest.”
He adds, “I read and think. So I do more reading and thinking and make fewer impulse decisions than most people in business.”
True enough, Buffett proves that good habits can pave the way for excellent outcomes.
How to Develop Good Habit Loops
Good habits can set you on the road to success, and Warren Buffet (and many other successful people) are proof of these. So if you want to be just like them, remember that it’s just a matter of following these five tips:
1 . Set Clear Goals
Setting clear goals is the first step toward developing good habits. And, similar to setting goals in your work projects, it’s all about:
- Starting small. If you want to become a voracious reader like Warren Buffet, reading 500 pages right away is a tall order. Why not start with 50 pages for now – and move on from there?
- Being specific. When do you plan on reading? Before or after work?
- Writing them down. You may forget about your goals, so make sure to write them down!
- Focusing on one goal at a time. Set your sights on reading first before delving into something else.
2 . Break Down Habits Into Small Steps
If you’re a very busy bee, it may be hard for you to read 50 pages – even if you want to. As such, it’s good to break them down into smaller, bite-sized pieces. For example, you can try to read 25 pages before work and complete the other 25 once you get home.
3 . Create a Routine
As I’ve explained, routines follow cues. So if you want to establish good habits, you need to set ‘reminders’ that nudge you to do them.
Let’s take the case of location and timing. If you make it a point to read 25 pages in your home office every 7 am – and again at 7 pm – these routines will eventually become ingrained habits.
4 . Use Positive Reinforcement
Don’t hesitate to reward yourself! After all, positive reinforcement helps “increase the probability of a behavior being repeated.”
Don’t limit yourself to buying something (tangible reinforcement), though. Activity reinforcers, such as allowing you to extend your game time from 30 to 45 minutes, will work just as well.
5 . Stay Motivated
It’s easy to deviate from your habits, especially when you find something more rewarding to do. That’s why you need to keep yourself motivated, which you can do by:
- Having fun with what you’re doing
- Honing on the habit’s benefits
- Celebrating your successes
- Searching for inspiration
- Looping your support system in
Tips for Building Habit Loops
Building habits is easier said than done – especially if you’re planning to accomplish something challenging. While the process may feel intimidating at first, you can successfully build your habits by:
Starting With Small Habits
As with most people, you want to get rich like Warren Buffet. Before you dive into the world of investment, perhaps it’s best to work on the smaller habits – like reading up on investment – first. Practice makes perfect!
Making Use of Triggers
Cues or reminders lead us to do our routines, no matter how good or bad they may be. So if stress causes you to drink alcohol, why not use this to trigger a better (and healthier, more effective) habit, such as exercising?
Staying Accountable
We’re only human, bound to make mistakes. What’s important, however, is you own up to your mistakes.
That’s why you need to write everything down in the first place. Penning your goals will not only remind you to do them – but they’ll help you become more accountable as well.
It’s also good to enlist the help of your support system. They can function as your accountability partner too!
Lastly, stop giving in to temptations. If distractions such as social media or online shopping stop you from reading 50 pages daily, then keep your phone out of easy reach until you complete such a task.
Discipline is key.
Avoiding Perfectionism
We all want to achieve perfection. Unfortunately, making some mistakes can make you feel unworthy – or a failure, even.
If you want to build good habits, you need to avoid the trap that is perfectionism. Set more reasonable goals and be kinder to yourself. As I’ve said, we’re only human and bound to make mistakes!
Be Patient
Just like Rome, good habits are impossible to build in a day. They take time, so you need to be patient.
Take the case of Buffett, who didn’t become the billionaire investor that he is in a snap of a finger. Before generating his portfolio, he had to work hard and sell gum/magazines door-to-door.
So whenever you find yourself growing impatient, just remember this compelling (if not hilarious) quote from Buffett:
“No matter how great the talent or effort, some things just take time: You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.”
Conclusion
Good habits are crucial for personal development. They help you focus on something more productive – and eliminate the not-so-good routines too.
The excellent news is forming these habits is not as complicated as it seems. It’s just a matter of starting small, staying accountable, and being patient, among many other things.
Remember: if you want to build good habits – or break your old ones – it’s never too late. It’s a bit challenging at first, but as long as you focus on them, you’ll surely succeed.
As Mina Tadros used to say, “If you want to change your world, you need to start cultivating good habits.”
References:
Apa Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association. https://dictionary.apa.org/habit. Accessed February 2, 2023.
Change a habit by setting goals. Kaiser Permanente. https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/health-encyclopedia/he.change-a-habit-by-setting-goals.abk7429. Published February 9, 2022. Accessed February 2, 2023.
Habits: How they form and how to Break them. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2012/03/05/147192599/habits-how-they-form-and-how-to-break-them. Published March 5, 2012. Accessed February 2, 2023.
Raypole C. Habit loop: What it is and how to break it. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/habit-loop. Published February 5, 2021. Accessed February 2, 2023.
Smith K. A proactive intervention for the classroom. University of Minnesota. https://ceed.umn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Positive-Reinforcement.pdf. Accessed February 2, 2023.
Vaughan B. Understanding “habit loop” key to changing them, author says. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-books-habits/understanding-habit-loop-key-to-changing-them-author-says-idUSBRE82F11L20120316. Published March 16, 2012. Accessed February 2, 2023.
Ward M. Warren Buffett’s reading routine could make you smarter, science suggests. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2016/11/16/warren-buffetts-reading-routine-could-make-you-smarter-suggests-science.html. Published November 16, 2016. Accessed February 2, 2023.
