Atomic Habits

• You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your system
• Small changes appear to make no difference until you cross a threshold
• An atomic habit is a little habit that is part of a larger system
• 4 laws of behaviour change: 1) Make it obvious 2) Make it attractive 3) Make it easy and 4) Make it satisfying
• All habits involve 4 steps: 1) cue 2) craving 3) response and 4) reward
• The habits scorecard is a simple way to become more aware of your habits
• Time and location are the 2 most common cues
• Habit stacking = when you pair a new habit with a current habit
• It is much easier to avoid temptation than to resist it
• Eliminate bad habits by reducing exposure to the cue
• It is better to rely on systems rather than self-control
• Make completion of habits satisfying
• Can build better habits by joining culture where 1) your desired behaviour is the normal behaviour and 2) you already have something in common with the group
• The normal behaviour of the tribe overpowers the desired behaviour of the individual
• 3 social groups influence habits: a) family & friends b) the tribe c) those with power & prestige
• Cause of habits is the prediction that precedes them, the prediction leads to a feeling
• Habits become less and less effortful the more times you execute them
• Reduce friction for good habits, increase it for bad habits
• 2 minute rule: when you start a new habit it should take less than 2 minutes to do
• Ritualise the beginning of a habit
• Use commitment devices to lock in doing habits
• Habit trackers can make completion of your habits more satisfying
• Try to get into a habit streak and keep it going
• Accountability partners can create immediate costs for inaction
• Habits are easier to do and keep when they align with your natural abilities
• Goldilocks rule = humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks at the edge of their current abilities
• Temptation bundling = pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do
• Pointing-and-calling makes a habit more conscious and therefore gives you more control over it
• Give yourself a dopamine hit after doing something you want to become a habit
• Cardinal Rule of Behaviour Change = what is immediately rewarded is repeated, what is immediately punished is avoided