The Man Who Didn't Look Right (Habit Scorecard) Flashcards
Why is the human brain often referred to as a ‘prediction machine’?
The brain continuously analyzes information from its surroundings, noticing patterns and relevant cues through repeated experiences. It uses this information to predict outcomes and respond effectively, often unconsciously.
How does repeated exposure to specific situations affect the brain’s ability to respond?
With practice, the brain automatically encodes lessons from repeated experiences, making it easier to pick up on cues and predict outcomes without conscious thought.
What role do feedback loops play in hunger and cravings?
Feedback loops in the body track internal and external signals, gradually alerting us to hunger. Hormones and chemicals can trigger cravings, often without our conscious awareness.
What is one surprising insight about habits?
Habits can begin without conscious awareness of their cues, allowing us to act on opportunities automatically. This makes habits both useful and potentially dangerous.
Why can habits be dangerous as they become more automatic?
Automatic habits lead to actions governed by the nonconscious mind. Over time, repeated patterns become ingrained, making it harder to recognize and question them.
Provide an example of a habitual action occurring on autopilot.
A retail clerk, after repeatedly cutting up empty gift cards, once cut a customer’s credit card in half after swiping it, acting entirely on autopilot.
What did Carl Jung mean by, ‘Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate’?
He emphasized that unexamined habits and behaviors influence our lives without our awareness. Bringing them into consciousness allows for intentional change.
What is Pointing-and-Calling, and why is it effective?
Pointing-and-Calling is a safety system where train operators point at objects and verbalize commands to raise awareness. It reduces errors by 85% and accidents by 30% by engaging multiple senses and making habits conscious.
How does Pointing-and-Calling differ in Tokyo’s railway system and New York City’s MTA subway?
In Tokyo, operators point and call out commands. In the MTA, a simplified ‘point-only’ system reduced incorrectly berthed subways by 57% within two years.
How can individuals raise awareness of their habits to facilitate behavior change?
They can use techniques like creating a habit scorecard, which involves identifying and consciously tracking current habits to better understand and modify them.
What happens as a behavior becomes more automatic?
The more automatic a behavior becomes, the less likely we are to consciously think about it, leading to assumptions and potential oversight.
Why do many failures in performance occur?
Failures often result from a lack of self-awareness, as we overlook actions we’ve repeated countless times without questioning their relevance or correctness.
What is one of the greatest challenges in changing habits?
Maintaining awareness of what we are actually doing, which is critical to identifying and altering bad habits.
Why can the consequences of bad habits “sneak up” on us?
Bad habits often operate unconsciously, making us unaware of their cumulative negative impact over time.
What tool helps raise awareness of daily habits?
The Habits Scorecard, a simple exercise where you list your daily habits and evaluate them as good (+), bad (–), or neutral (=).
How do you create a Habits Scorecard?
List all your daily habits and assign a “+” for good habits, a “–” for bad habits, and a “=” for neutral habits based on your goals.
Provide an example of a scored habit list.
Wake up =
Turn off alarm =
Check my phone –
Brush my teeth +
Weigh myself +
Why do habit scores vary between individuals?
Scores depend on personal goals. For example, eating a bagel might be a bad habit for someone losing weight but a good habit for someone bulking up.
How does the Habits Scorecard improve self-awareness?
By identifying and evaluating daily behaviors, it brings unconscious habits to conscious attention, enabling intentional changes.
What inspired the concept of the Habits Scorecard?
The idea was inspired by the “Point-and-Calling” system used in Japan’s railway, which raises awareness and reduces errors by making actions explicit.
Are habits inherently good or bad?
No, habits are not inherently good or bad; they are only effective at solving problems in the short or long term.
How should habits be evaluated during the Habits Scorecard exercise?
Evaluate habits based on whether they align with your desired identity and their net long-term outcomes.
What question can help determine if a habit is beneficial?
Ask, “Does this behavior help me become the type of person I wish to be?”
Why is observing habits without judgment important?
It allows you to become aware of your actions without bias, making it easier to understand and change them.
What is a practical method to increase awareness of a bad habit?
Use Pointing-and-Calling by saying aloud what you’re doing and its consequences.
Give an example of using Pointing-and-Calling for a bad habit.
“I’m about to eat this cookie, but I don’t need it. Eating it will cause me to gain weight and hurt my health.”
How does verbalizing actions improve behavior?
It raises awareness, makes the consequences more real, and adds weight to decisions, reducing mindless habits.
Why does saying tasks out loud increase the chance of completing them?
Verbalizing tasks acknowledges the need for action, creating mental commitment and focus.
What is the first step in the process of behavior change?
Awareness of your habits and the cues that trigger them.
What is the purpose of strategies like the Habits Scorecard?
To recognize and acknowledge your habits, making it possible to respond in a way that aligns with your goals.
Summarize the process of behavior change in one sentence.
Behavior change starts with awareness, progresses with understanding, and solidifies through conscious responses to habits.
