The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

A few takeaways from the book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg.

Big Idea

We can disrupt unwanted habits and create new, beneficial ones by identifying the following:

• What triggers a habit (the cue)

• What the behavior itself is (the routine)

• Why the behavior is reinforced (the reward)

The Habits of Individuals

A method for how individuals can change their own habits:

1. Experiment with Rewards: Change the reward to see what really satisfies the craving that the habit satisfies. This can help you understand what outcome your brain is actually looking for and use that insight to shift the habit.

2. Isolate the Cue: Experiment to determine which cues are triggering your habit. Duhigg suggests writing down five things when the urge hits:

   • location

   • time

   • emotional state

   • other people around

   • the preceding action

3. Develop a Plan: Once you understand the cue and the reward, you can replace the old routine with a new one (without trying to change the cue and the reward, which are often deeply ingrained).

4. Believe in Change: Duhigg emphasizes the importance of belief in the process of habit change. Often, this belief is strengthened through group support or other reinforcing social mechanisms.

The Habits of Organizations

Organizational habits greatly influence business success, and leaders have a significant role to play.

Through careful manipulation of cues and rewards, leaders can incentivize desired behaviors that will lead to improvements in performance and satisfaction.

The Habits of Societies

Social movements and societal shifts often hinge on changing group habits, which can be sparked by strong leaders or pivotal events that alter public perceptions and behaviors on a large scale.

Community Insights

For more on these concepts, click here to read the book.