Atomic Habits Flashcards
Every time we perform a habit, we execute a four-step pattern, Which one?
- Cue. A piece of information that suggests there’s a reward to be found, like the smell of a cookie or a dark room waiting to light up.
- Craving. The motivation to change something to get the reward, like tasting the delicious cookie or being able to see.
- Response. Whatever thought or action you need to take to get to the reward.
- Reward. The satisfying feeling you get from the change, along with the lesson whether to do it again or not.
From the four-step pattern he suggests, James then derives four laws of behavior change, which correspond to one part of the loop each. Explain
- (Cue) Make it obvious. Don’t hide your fruits in your fridge, put them on display front and center.
- (Craving) Make it attractive. Start with the fruit you like the most, so you’ll actually want to eat one when you see it.
- (Response) Make it easy. Don’t create needless friction by focusing on fruits that are hard to peel. Bananas and apples are super easy to eat, for example.
- (Reward) Make it satisfying. If you like the fruit you picked, you’ll love eating it and feel healthier as a result!
What is an easy way to stick to your New habits?
Use a habit tracker
What is ment with the “invinsible hand”
When it comes to habits, James suggests that environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. Small changes in context can lead to large changes in behavior over time. Every habit is initiated by a cue. We are more likely to notice cues that stand out. Make the cues of good habits obvious in your environment. Gradually, your habits become associated not with a single trigger but with the entire context surrounding the behavior. The context becomes the cue. See first law of Behavior Change –> make it obvious. Other side of the coin, One of the most practical ways to eliminate a bad habit is to reduce exposure to the cue that causes it. People with high self-control tend to spend less time in tempting situations. It’s easier to avoid temptation than resist it
What does James clear mentions about goal setting?
If you want better results, then forget about setting goals. Focus on your system instead. The purpose of setting goals is to win the game. The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game. True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress. Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
Which layers of behavior change exist?
There are three layers of behavior change: a change in your outcomes, a change in your processes, or a change in your identity.”
The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity.”
“It is a simple two-step process: Decide the type of person you want to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins.
What is one of the best way to start a new habit?
One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top. This is called habit stacking.”
Habit Stacking
“The habit stacking formula is: ‘After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].’”
How could you apply the second law of Behavior Change, make it attractive?
Habits are a dopamine-driven feedback loop. When dopamine rises, so does our motivation to act. It is the anticipation of a reward—not the fulfilment of it—that gets us to take action. The greater the anticipation, the greater the dopamine spike.
Temptation bundling is one way to make your habits more attractive. The strategy is to pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do.
Also, The culture we live in determines which behaviors are attractive to us.One of the most effective things you can do to build better habits is to join a culture where (1) your desired behavior is the normal behavior and (2) you already have something in common with the group.
How could you apply the third law of Behavior Change, make it easy?
The most effective form of learning is practice, not planning. Focus on taking action, not being in motion. Habit formation is the process by which a behavior becomes progressively more automatic through repetition. The amount of time you have been performing a habit is not as important as the number of times you have performed it. We will naturally gravitate toward the option that requires the least amount of work. Reduce the friction associated with good behaviors. When friction is low, habits are easy.
How can you apply the most important principles of this book to your own life?
-
1-Sentence summary of Atomic habits
Atomic Habits is the definitive guide to breaking bad behaviors and adopting good ones in four steps, showing you how small, incremental, everyday routines compound into massive, positive change over time.
Small habits make big differences, explain?
It is so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making small improvements on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, improving by 1 percent isn’t particularly notable— sometimes it isn’t even noticeable—but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run. The difference a tiny improvement can make over time is astounding. Here’s how the math works out: if you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done. Conversely, if you get 1 percent worse each day for one year, you’ll decline nearly down to zero. What starts as a small win or a minor setback accumulates into something much more.
It doesn’t matter how successful or unsuccessful you are right now. What matters is whether your habits are putting you on the path toward success.
Focus on getting 1 percent better every day.
How to stop procrastinating by using the two-minute rule
Every day, there are a handful of moments that deliver an outsized impact. James refers to these little choices as “decisive moments”. Decisive moments set the options available to your future self. Habits can be completed in a few seconds but continue to impact your behavior for minutes or hours afterward. Many habits occur at decisive moments—choices that are like a fork in the road—and either send you in the direction of a productive day or an unproductive one. The Two-Minute Rule states, ‘When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do. The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely it becomes that you can slip into the state of deep focus that is required to do great things. Standardize before you optimize. You can’t improve a habit that doesn’t exist.
How to stay motivated in life - The Goldilocks Rule
The Goldilocks Rule states that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. As habits become routine, they become less interesting and less satisfying. We get bored. Anyone can work hard when they feel motivated. It’s the ability to keep going when work isn’t exciting that makes the difference. Professionals stick to the schedule; amateurs let life get in the way.
