Why You Should Read “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg?
This book is for those who think they can consciously take control of their lives. If you’re trying to get a new habit but can’t keep it up for long, you need to read it. It is also a must read for you if you try to get rid of bad habits but can’t.
Here in this article, we will discuss some of the powerful lessons this book gives, let’s get started…
Habits and Formation
Habits arise because our brain is always on a search to find ways to save effort. In simple words, the brain creates a routine and that allows our mind to slow down more often.
The formation of our brain habits is a three-step process.
- First, there is a signal that tells the brain to enter autopilot mode.
- Second, there is a habit, whether it’s mental, physical, or emotional.
- Third, there are rewards that help the brain understand whether this particular cycle is worth remembering in the future.
Habits appear without our permission
Habits are powerful for the reason that they create a neurological cravings. Often, these cravings come before the habitual response at a very slow pace that you are not even become aware of their existence. The author says that habits are a result of structural changes in our brains. Once formed, these structural changes go away at a snail’s pace.
The Habit Loop
You can create a new habit, by putting together a cue, a routine, and a reward, followed by cultivating a craving to drive the loop. By cues author means a combinations of stimuli and reward means increase or decrease in pleasant/unpleasant emotions, sensations, or thoughts.
Change the Bad Habit Or Build A New Habit
Charles says that you can’t give up on a bad habit, but you can change it by using the habit loop. To change a bad habit, cue and reward concept stays the same but the routine is changed. The key ingredients to break your bad habits, is to identify the cues and rewards, and use them to change the routine.
Charles also says that there is no single way applicable for all, it has to be tailored as per the person. There are some habits that are hard to change with the same rule, for them you will also need belief.
Celebrate the small wins
Small wins are important. Once a small part of the target is achieved, you must celebrate it which will set forces in motion that will take you to another small win. Small victories fuel transformative changes when used into patterns and bigger achievements come under your reach.
Final Words
The book has a lot more that can change your life in a big way, so don’t wait by the book and change your life.
