Have you ever wondered why you take the same route to work? This is usually an automatic process, and taking a new route would probably require concentration. This is because of habits, a powerful tool that can help us make unconscious decisions. In his book “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do and How to Change”, author Charles Duhigg gives many examples of a variety of habits and a framework outlining how they work.
It is important to point out that habits generally can’t be eliminated, but only replaced with new ones. They are established through a cycle of identifying a cue, followed by a subsequent action, with an expectation for a particular reward. Duhigg points out that the way to change a habit is to identify the cue and reward, and change the action into a new routine. He provides several examples of where this is used in marketing tactics, amongst athletes, and in addressing addictions such as alcoholism.
You may think that some of your nasty habits cannot be changed. But Duhigg shows that one small change can lead to a small success, snowballing into more significant changes. For example, from a young age, Michael Phelps turned his swimming techniques and pre-race preparation into habits. Throughout the course of his training, Phelps prepared for every scenario in the pool, and these habits became second nature, resulting in countless Olympic medals.
As well as a framework to change habits, Duhigg describes the influence of willpower on habits. In principle, willpower works like a muscle, which can fatigue when overused and can be strengthened with practice. Many experiments show that an individual’s willpower can determine the likelihood of change.
Company cultures are not learnt from textbooks, but passed on by employees and form habits. This includes both positive and negative habits, and Duhigg gives examples at both ends of the spectrum. A perfect example is the training program at Starbucks, which has been streamlined to prepare employees for how to react in a variety of situations. On the other hand, there are negative cultural habits like the hierarchical communication between hospital staff, which has evidently cost patient lives.
‘The Power of Habit’ is built on research and recounts from countless individuals. Duhigg does a great job at retelling stories, from the social habits sparking the Montgomery bus boycott, to a sleepwalker who followed his natural self-defence habit, killing his wife after mistaking her for an intruder. There are thousands of ways to change habit, but Duhigg’s book provides a holistic framework to help you understand how to transform those nasty habits.
Are you interested in learning more by reading this book?
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