Analyzing the book Power of Habit/Knowing daily behaviors and discovering a way to change life

One of the practical messages of The Power of Habit is that to change many established behaviors, you can replace a behavior routine with a new option. This approach emphasizes recognizing the function of behavior and paying attention to signs and rewards.

Ambassador Arjan; Sudeh Sadri - Why do habits affect our lives more than we imagine?

Many people decide to change at different stages of their lives; Someone wants to make reading a part of their daily schedule, someone else wants to improve their financial habits, and someone else wants to break away from procrastination, overeating, or emotional reactions.

However, the gap between decision-making and the continuous implementation of decisions is one of the most important challenges in human life. Many changes begin with great motivation, but after a while they give way to past behaviors. The basic question is why, despite being aware of what is useful for us, we still return to behaviors that sometimes hinder our progress?

Charles Duhigg, an American journalist and author, examines the same issue in the book "The Power of Habit". Using scientific research, psychological studies, and real examples of people's lives and the performance of organizations, he shows that many of our daily behaviors are formed based on patterns that have been established over time. These behaviors gradually become habits and are repeated in similar situations without the need for a conscious decision.

The importance of the book The Power of Habit is that it examines the mechanism of behavior formation instead of general recommendations about willpower, motivation and more effort. Duhigg tries to show that if we know how habits are formed and what factors cause them to persist, we can choose a more effective way to change them. This view transforms individual change from a vague desire into a verifiable process; A process that begins with the recognition of repeated behaviors and continues with the creation of new patterns.

What is a habit and how does the brain convert repetitive behaviors into automatic patterns?

One of the basic concepts of the book is the role of habits in reducing the need for continuous decision making. The human brain is faced with a large amount of information, choices and environmental stimuli during the day. If we were to think thoroughly every time to perform all our daily activities, from the simplest tasks to complex decisions, a significant part of our mental power would be spent on repetitive activities. Habits help the brain to perform certain behaviors with less attention and effort.

For example, driving along a familiar route, preparing the necessary items before leaving the house, or performing a repetitive work activity may become a relatively automatic behavior after a while. In such a situation, a person does not need to make a conscious decision to perform each step. This feature can be very useful as it conserves mental energy for newer and more complex issues.

However, this same mechanism may cause the continuation of behaviors that are no longer beneficial to the individual. The brain makes connections between situations and responses that have been repeated many times, and when faced with similar situations, it may activate the same familiar pathway; Even if the person is aware of its negative consequences.

To better understand this, imagine someone who, whenever faced with a difficult task, procrastinates and reaches for their cell phone. This behavior may reduce the unpleasant feeling caused by the difficulty of the task in the short term, but in the long term, it may increase psychological pressure and delay tasks. The problem is that a short-term reward for the behavior, a temporary escape from discomfort, can reinforce its repetition.

Therefore, one of the important points of the book is that not all our repetitive behaviors are the result of deliberate and conscious decisions. Sometimes the patterns formed in the past still guide our behavior today. Knowing this does not mean denying individual responsibility; Instead of blaming ourselves, it helps us to better understand the reasons for repeating a behavior and take action to correct it.

circle of habit; Cue, procedure and reward

To explain how habits are formed, Charles Duhigg introduces a three-stage model consisting of cue, routine, and reward. This pattern is one of the most important parts of the book and provides the reader with a framework for examining many repetitive behaviors.

A cue is a stimulus that activates the initiation of a behavior. This stimulus may be a certain time of day, being in a certain environment, seeing an object, feeling tired or experiencing an excitement. A routine is a behavior or action that we perform in response to that cue. Reward is also the result we get after the behavior and it can make the brain remember that association and use the same path again in the future.

For example, a person may feel the need to eat something sweet every day after lunch. In this situation, the end of lunch can be a sign, eating sweets is routine and the pleasure or feeling of satisfaction after that reward. Repeating this pattern may make eating sweets after meals become an automatic behavior; Even when one is not really hungry.

The same structure can be seen in more complex behaviors. A person who constantly checks social media when feeling lonely may use this behavior to receive a sense of connection and attention. Another person who turns to unnecessary shopping in stressful situations may use shopping to experience excitement or temporarily reduce mental pressure.

The important point is that outward behavior alone does not explain the whole story. To recognize a habit, one must also pay attention to the situation in which the behavior begins and the result that the person receives from doing it. Two people may engage in similar behavior but experience different motivations and rewards.

Understanding the habit loop helps us ask more specific questions about ourselves: What triggers my behavior? What happens when it does? How do I feel after that? Is the reward I receive short-term or will it pay off for me in the long run? Answering these questions can be the starting point of change.

Why is knowing the habit not enough to change it?

One of the common experiences in the path of personal development is that a person knows that a behavior is not useful for him, but he continues to repeat it. This suggests that awareness, although necessary, alone is not always sufficient to change behavior.

A person who knows that prolonged use of a cell phone hurts their concentration may still turn to it repeatedly while studying. Someone who is aware of the importance of getting enough sleep may continue to watch entertainment programs late into the night every night. These behaviors are sometimes not due to ignorance, but due to the connection formed between specific situations and immediate rewards.

Dohigg explains that habits can become established in such a way that familiar cues activate the desire for reward. As a result, one may be drawn to the behavior before considering the consequences. This is especially important when the reward is immediate and accessible, but the negative consequences of the behavior are apparent in the future.

For example, procrastinating on a difficult task may bring relief in the moment, but the real cost may show up days later in the form of increased anxiety or reduced quality of work. On the other hand, daily study may require a lot of effort in the beginning, but the result will only become apparent after time.

This difference between immediate reward and long-term benefit is one of the major challenges of habit change. In order to modify behavior, in addition to knowing its consequences, a person must create conditions that make it easier to perform the desired behavior and can continue over time.

How to change bad habits?

Suppose a person turns to eating unhealthy foods every time when he is tired or under pressure. If he just decides not to do it again, he may return to the same behavior under stress. But if he realizes that his main goal of this behavior is to create a break and get away from work pressure, he can choose another method to meet this need; For example, walk for a few minutes, drink water, or take a short break.

In this method, instead of focusing only on prohibiting the previous behavior, the person tries to find a new answer to his need. Of course, the chosen alternative should really be able to fulfill the intended function. If the new behavior does not provide any reward or satisfaction, it may be difficult to continue.

In order to implement this method, the undesirable behavior must first be specified precisely. Then it is necessary to examine the time and situation of its occurrence, the feelings before the behavior and the consequences after it. In the next step, one can test several alternative behaviors and see which one is more compatible with the person's life circumstances.

The important thing is that habit change is not always quick and irreversible. Sometimes a person is successful for a while, but in certain circumstances he repeats the previous behavior. Such an event can be an opportunity to better understand the triggers and modify the program. Sustainable change usually requires practice, revision and persistence.

Also, not all behaviors can be modified simply by replacing a routine. Some harmful habits may be related to severe dependence, psychological problems or complex environmental conditions and require specialized support. Therefore, the book's framework should be seen as a way to better understand behavior, not as a one-size-fits-all solution.

key habits; The starting point of wider changes

Another important concept of the book is key habits. This concept means some behaviors that can provide the basis for other positive changes in the life of a person or organization. These habits are especially important because their effect may not be limited to the same activity and affect other parts of life as well.

For example, establishing regularity in physical activity may lead a person to pay more attention to nutrition, sleep, and daily planning. Also, regularly recording expenses can increase a person's awareness of consumption patterns and help make better decisions about savings and purchases.

Of course, such results are not certain for all people. A key habit does not mean that one behavior alone solves all problems, but rather that some behaviors have a greater capacity to create chain changes.

The importance of this idea is that it is not necessary to change all behaviors at the same time to improve life. Trying to fix too many habits at once can create a lot of pressure and make it difficult to stay on track. On the contrary, choosing a specific and effective behavior can be a more realistic starting point.

A person who wants to improve their academic performance might consider setting aside a certain amount of time to study each day instead of setting several heavy goals. A person who wants to organize their finances can start by recording their expenses and examining their purchasing patterns. In both cases, the initial behavior is small, but if it persists, it can lead to better decisions.

The role of will in forming and maintaining habits

In many narratives related to success, will is introduced as the most important factor of progress. According to this view, successful people are those who resist temptation and stick to their plans even in the most difficult situations. The book Power of Habit takes a broader view of this issue and shows that human behavior is influenced by the environment, signs and learned patterns in addition to the will.

For example, a person who intends to study, if he is in an environment full of distractions, he may have to deal with various stimuli many times to continue working. But if he prepares the study environment in advance, puts away the mobile phone and dedicates a specific time to the work, the conditions for performing the desired behavior will be easier.