Habits- Day 31

                              

                          So what have I learned after thirty-one days of writing about habits? 

According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits:

Start with small, atomic size changes.

Even a 1% change over time can make a difference.

Think systems, instead of goals.

Base your habits, not on what you want to do, but rather who you want to be. 

Habit formation revolves around cues, cravings, response, and rewards.

When developing a new habit make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying.

Set a plan for time and place. 

Use habit stacking to your advantage. 

Your environment is critical when forming new habits. 

Self-control won’t last in the long run.

Dopamine is biologically built into the habits you maintain. 

So now I’m going to really reflect on each strategy, and see what I can incorporate into my day to day habits. 

Clear has many other tips to share, and I highly recommend reading Atomic Habits if you are serious about wanting to make a change. 

Habits- Day 30

 

                According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits,

“We need to make our habits attractive because it is the expectation of a rewarding experience that motivates us to act in the first place.”

The Second Law of behavior change, Make it Attractive, comes into play here because the more attractive something is to us the greater chance that we will want to repeat it. 

The biological similarity that all habits have in common is they all produce a dopamine spike. This is the neurological process that drives craving and desire. 

Clear states that, “Habits are a dopamine-driven feedback loop.”

The habits that seem to take hold are the ones, “associated with a higher level of dopamine.”

Interestingly in studies with mice they actually become more addicted to sugar than to cocaine. That’s the power of the dopamine rush produced by a piece of chocolate. 

Remarkably, this dopamine release not only happens by the action itself, but also simply through the anticipation of the action. 

When your brain realizes that the reward is in sight it actually motivates you to act. 

“It is the anticipation of a reward-not the fulfillment of it-that gets us to take action.”

Desire drives behavior, which is preceded by anticipation.

In other words, “the craving leads to the response.”

Now in knowing this what rewards can I tie to behaviors to motivate me to establish better habits?

What I have learned about myself is that I don’t necessarily respond to outward rewards. I think I am more intrinsically motivated. I find a reward in completely a task that I have pushed myself to accomplish. Actually writing for thirty-one days, which will be finished tomorrow, is a reward itself. 

That being said, I want to take time to reflect more on the biological reason for some of my choices that I do not seem to understand. Clear reminds us that we still have the brains of our ancestors, but we have many more temptations put before us in our daily lives. 

Habits- Day 29

 Have you ever wondered what self-control has to do with habit formation? Technically, self-control is only a short-term solution, not one that is maintained long term. 

I’ve actually got pretty good self-control. I would have been that little kid that held out and didn’t eat the marshmallow in the now infamous marshmallow test. Whenever, I would rejoin Weight Watchers (one known as WW) I would faithfully work the program easily for around three to five months. I would NEVER cheat, and would consistently lose weight each week, albeit it came off slower as I aged. 

However, after maintaining that lose as time wire on as much as I wished to keep the weight off I would slowly return to my old habits. That’s where I am know in my life. 

Clear states that, “The way to improve discipline is to create a more disciplined environment.” Basically, an “out of sight, out of mind mentality.”

He reminds us that it’s much easier to “practice self-restraint” if you don’t have to rely on it constantly. 

If I didn’t have the candy bowl sitting in my counter I wouldn’t need to muster up the self-control to not take a piece each time I passed by. 

“Once a habit has been encoded (in the mind) the urge to act follows whenever the environmental cues reappear.”

Trying to resist a craving doesn’t always work because your brain literally has a “mental groove” that has been created from the habit. It’s literally calling your name waiting for the reward. This is where reducing exposure to the cue comes in handy.

Yesterday I wrote about how the environment can help or harm your efforts to develop good habits. Snack Central in my house is an example of the battle between self-discipline and cue exposure raging within me, and me coming out at the losing end. 

If there is any first step here I think I must address what sounded like a good idea at first, but what is actually contributing to my inability to control my eating habits. 

Habits-Day 28

As much as you might think motivation is key to establishing a habit, environment is actually more important. 

According to Clear, “Every habit is context dependent.”

Clear continues, “People often choose products not because of what they are, but because of where they are.”

That’s probably why I eat completely differently when I’m at my daughter’s babysitting the boys. Different environment equals different food choices. 

Even the room you are in can help shape a habit. Of all cues, visual cues have the most control over our behavior. “A small change in what you see can lead to a big shift in what you do.”

In my kitchen/living area I have a set of cabinets I call Snack Central. It is separate from my pantry where all my other food is stored. Originally I thought this was a great idea, because it was so convenient. Every time I pass by snack central I’m reminded of the plethora of goodies hiding just behind its doors. 

In hindsight I don’t think this was such a great idea. 

Rather than being a victim to your environment Clear recommends being the architect of your environment. I think it’s time to rethink Snack Central if I want to develop better habits when it comes to snacking. 

Habits- Day 27

 

Yesterday we discussed one strategy for habit building. Another strategy is Habit stacking. 

Basically what this entails is pairing an already established habit with a new one you are trying it to develop. 

Author James Clear states, “When it comes to building new habits, you can use connectedness of behavior to your advantage.”

In order to assure habit stacking is successful you need to choose the right cue. This is where that time and place comes into being. 

Let’s say I want to start the habit of drinking more water. I could stack this habit with watching the nightly news. I’ve already established one habit so as soon as the show begins I could grab a glass of water. That would not be too difficult to implement, and the reward would be catching up on what’s happening in the world. (Except to be honest the nightly news isn’t usually all that great, but old habits die hard.)

Clear reminds us that, “Habit stacking works best when the cue is highly specific and immediately actionable.”

What new habit could you stack with an old one?

Habits- Day 26

                                         

                                         So what is the best way to start a new habit?

James Clear in his book Atomic Habits has a pretty clear cut plan. Remember how a habit starts with a cue. Well according to Clear the two most common of these are time and location. 

Clear suggests using an Implementation Intention which is simply a plan you make ahead of time determining where and when you plan on acting. 

This is a much more effective way of accomplishing your goals. 

Clear states, “People who make a specific plan for where and when will perform a new habit, and are more likely to follow through.”

It’s not the motivation you are lacking rather it’s the clarity of what you are trying to do. 

Consider using this phrase as your guide:

I will (behavior) at (time) in (location)

At the beginning of the pandemic I walked faithfully up and down my long foyer each day for thirty minutes. I did this at 11:00 while watching a favorite show. I actually looked forward to that time because the reward of listening/watching the show made it easy and enjoyable. 

Sadly, since I’ve moved I’ve never reestablished that habit. 

Being specific about time and place helps you not to be derailed from your goals, and helps you to say No to something wanting to pull you off track. 

I want to set up an Implementation Intention again for walking. 

Habits- Day 25

 

Interestingly our habits go beyond just our conscience self. Our appetite and hunger are regulated non consciously.

The cravings we experience can be from hormones and chemicals within our bodies. 

Clear states, “As habits form, your actions come under the direction of your automatic and non conscious mind. You fall into old patterns before you realize what’s happening. 

This actually makes me feel better about not having perfect discipline when it comes to my eating habits. 

These habit-sparking cues become pretty invisible. That’s why the first step in changing or forming habits is being aware of your existing habits. 

To become aware of this begin by making a list of all your habits throughout the day. It’s easy to want to automatically judge each one as good or bad. Resist this at first because all habits serve us in some way. That’s why you keep repeating them. 

Start categorizing each one as to how it helps you to become the person you desire to be. Try not to be too judgmental at this point about whether they are good or bad. 

Begin by being on the lookout for those habits that don’t align with your identity. One way to do this is to use the “Point and Call” technique. In other words when you are about to do something say it out loud and continue saying out loud what the outcome will be. 

“I’m about to eat a cookie which will make me go over my WW points today. I know if I do that I’ll be disappointed in myself.”

When you actually hear out loud what you are about to do it makes the “consequences seem more real.”

It helps you not to mindlessly slip into an old routine that you are attempting to change. 

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

Carl Jung

Habits- Day 24

 

Interestingly we can invert these four laws of behavior change to aid in breaking a bad habit. 

This would include instead of making the cue obvious make it invisible. This is an easy fix when it comes to snacking. Just don’t have the bag of chips sitting in the pantry. 

When it comes to the craving make it unattractive. 

When the response is difficult then it won’t be so easy to do the bad behavior. 

And finally make the reward unsatisfying. 

So technically you can approach habit building from both angles, however working from the positive vs the negative side in the long run will probably have better results.

Clear points out, “Every goal is doomed to fail if it goes against the grain of human nature.”

As you consider a new habit you want to form how can you make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying. That actually sounds like something I would like to do. However, you can still use the inverse actions in any way that helps you meet your desired results. 

Habits- Day 23

The Four Laws of Behavior Change

According to James Clear in his book, Atomic Habits, the following laws will help you to form a good habit:

1st Law- (cue) Make it obvious

2nd Law- (craving) Make it attractive

3rd Law- (response) Make it easy

4th Law- (reward) Make it satisfying

Habits- Day 22

 All four components, cue, craving response and reward form what is known as a “neurological feedback loop.”

James Clear states, “If a behavior is insufficient in any of the four stages it will not become a habit.”

If you do away with the cue your habit won’t be able to start. If you reduce the level of craving you won’t be able to stay motivated. 

If the behavior is too difficult you won’t be able to do it. Finally if the reward is not great enough you will have no reason to continue. Sadly, without all four the behavior you are wanting so badly to implement won’t be repeated. 

This feedback loop works like this:

“…the cue triggers a craving which motivates a response, which provides a reward, which satisfies the craving, and ultimately becomes associated with the cue.”

Voila, the birth of a habit!

Habits- Day 21

 

                               A response is the “actual habit you perform.”

This can be either a thought or action. This will occur depending on your motivation level. It also can depend on the level of friction you are feeling as to whether you follow through or not. 

According to James Clear, “If a particular action requires more physical or mental effort than you are willing to expend, then you won’t do it.”

I think this is why we are quick to not establish habits even when we want to. Think how many New Year’s resolutions are abandoned come February. 

Rewards, on the other hand, are the “end goal of every habit.” The response delivers a reward. 

“The cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is about wanting the reward. The response is about obtaining the reward.”

The reason we pursue rewards is two fold. Rewards satisfy us and teach us. 

They help for a moment to deliver contentment. Each time we are rewarded our brain remembers which action brought forth the reward.

“The first purpose of rewards is to satisfy our cravings.”

Habits- Day 20

How do we build habits?

Habit building revolves around a four part process.

Cue/Craving/Response/Reward

Today let’s explore what the cues and cravings.

According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, “The cue triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. It is a bit of information that predicts a reward.”

This cue leads to a craving which is what motivates us toward a habit. 

Honestly, without this craving we have little reason to act. We can muster up all the willpower in the world, but eventually we can’t rely on willpower alone. 

Clear reminds us that, “What you crave is not the habit itself, but the change in state it delivers.”

Pretty much every craving you have is linked to a desire to change how you are feeling at that moment. 

Think about how easy it is to crave chocolate when you are feeling down. Technically, chocolate has actually been shown to improve depression and anxiety. So in this case, your cue is feeling blue, and the craving is for chocolate. 

Tomorrow we will see how response and reward play into habit formation. 

Habits - Day 19

                                                   Why does your brain build habits?

According to Jason Hreha, “Habits are simply reliable solutions to recurring problems in our environment.”

You are hungry. You pick up a cookie and take a bite. Immediately you are rewarded by the flavor of the sugary goodness. The next time you are hungry you remember the cookie. Sadly, you might not have the same reaction to kale. 

A new habit is beginning to form. Now interestingly I actually like kale, and when I’m in the right frame of mind, ( identifying as a healthy person) I have no trouble choosing it. 

The reason the brain forms habits is to set up a series of shortcuts. With habits in place it frees your mind up to pay attention to more important tasks. 

Building habits today allows you to concentrate on other activities in the future. 

I mentioned the word reward early, and rewards do play an important part in habit formation. Initially when you “stumble upon an unexpected reward, you alter your strategy the next time.”

Tomorrow we will explore the concept of cue, craving, response, reward in habit formation. 

Habits- Day 18

“Identity change is the North Star of habit change”

James Clear

According to Clear there is something called a “feedback loop.”

Basically, “Your habits shape your identity and your identity shapes your habits.”

What needs to drive this loop are your values and principles, rather than just your results.

. 

Clear reminds us, “The focus should always be on becoming the type of person, not on getting a particular outcome.”

Focus first on who you want y to become, not so much on the what or how of achieving that. 

We all have the ability to change what we believe about ourselves. Oftentimes our beliefs are misguided, and based on past experiences which no longer really pertain to our current circumstances.

You are in the driver’s seat here. Your choices will reinforce both your identity and the habits that go along with how you see yourself. 

Full disclosure here: I recently received my cholesterol levels back, and they are the highest they’ve ever been. If identity as a person who values health this would be evidence contrary to that belief. If my food choices and sedentary life are an indication of my cholesterol score, than obviously I must identify as a person who doesn’t value good health. 

As I begin to change some of my habits I want them to align with my identity as a healthy person. 

Habits- Day 17

“If nothing changes, nothing is going to change.”

James Clear

Who do you want to be? Ask yourself, “Who is the type of person that could get the outcomes I want?”

One strategy is to work backwards toward that person. If you know someone living the life that you desire use them as an example. 

Knowing the type of person you want to be is the first step. The next step is to begin taking small steps toward being that person. 

Perhaps waking up a few minutes early to get in some stretching exercise or to fix a healthy breakfast might put you on the road to when you want to be. 

Clear knew a woman who had lost over one hundred pounds. “She figured if she acted like a healthy person long enough, eventually she would become that person.”

Go through your day asking the question, What would a ______ do?”

Habits- Day 16

          

           “The process of building habits is actually the process of becoming yourself.”

                                                                    James Clear

The more you repeat something the more it affirms your identity. 

Each time I dip into that bag of chips I’m reinforcing the belief that eating healthy really isn’t high on my priority list. 

Clear reminds us, “Whatever your identity is right now, you only believe it because you have proof of it.”

The more you see evidence of a behavior in your life the more confirmation of the identity that you profess to believe. 

As we begin to build habits that coincide with our identity, we begin changing little by little each day. These small changes can be significant because they provide the evidence we need to proceed with our new identity. 

“The most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do.”

Habits- Day 15

                                  “Your behaviors are usually a reflection of your identity.”

                                                                                James Clear

Have you given much thought to why you act the way you do? James Clear

in his book Atomic Habits, points out that your actions are an, “indication of the type of person you believe you are- either consciously or non consciously.”

Once you truly believe your habits are more likely to line up with that identity you see as your own.

At this point you are not actually attempting to change, “you are simply acting like the type of person you already believe yourself to be.”

Lately I’ve been reflecting on what I believe my identity to be. If I profess to be a health conscience person then choosing an apple, cheese stick and almonds is a much healthier snack then a handful of chips and a cookie. 

I’m starting to ask myself, “What would a healthy person do?”

Habits- Day 14

“Behind every system of actions is a system of beliefs.”

James Clear

We may be adept at setting goals, but may wonder why we don’t achieve or maintain them. However, we can’t forget about the beliefs that actually drive our actions toward that goal. 

Sadly, our old identity can “sabotage our new plans for change.”

If you never change the underlying beliefs that fueled your old behavior, new behavior becomes more challenging. 

Clear tells us, “The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity.”

When you start stating who you are rather than what you want you will open the door to future success. Incongruent actions rarely last if they contrast your beliefs about your self. 

You can white knuckle your way through a behavior change, but until you view your identity through a different lense eventually you will return back to your old habits. 

“Improvements are only temporary until they become who you are.”

James Clear