Oct 6, 2024
Good Habits
"Habits are automatic, learned behaviors that operate without conscious thought, and that's what makes them both incredibly powerful and incredibly hard to change."
7 Lessons from Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick by Wendy Wood:
1. Habits Are Automatic Behaviors
Wood explains that habits are automatic responses to specific cues in our environment. Understanding this automaticity can help individuals recognize when they are acting on habit rather than conscious choice, allowing for better management of behaviors.
2. The Role of Context in Habit Formation
The book emphasizes that context plays a crucial role in habit formation. Our surroundings, including people and environments, can trigger habitual behaviors. By modifying these contexts, we can facilitate the development of good habits and the cessation of bad ones.
3. Start Small to Build Momentum
Wood advocates for starting with small, manageable changes rather than attempting drastic overhauls. This approach helps build confidence and momentum, making it easier to incorporate new habits into daily life.
4. Focus on Systems, Not Goals
Rather than fixating solely on goals, Wood suggests focusing on the systems and processes that lead to those goals. By creating supportive routines and environments, individuals can make positive changes more sustainable over time.
5. The Importance of Repetition
Repetition is key to habit formation. Wood highlights that the more frequently a behavior is repeated in a consistent context, the more likely it is to become automatic. This underscores the need for persistence in establishing new habits.
6. Recognize and Address Triggers
Identifying triggers for both good and bad habits is essential. Wood encourages readers to become aware of the cues that prompt their behaviors, allowing them to modify their environment or responses to foster positive habits.
7. Be Patient with the Process
Wood emphasizes the importance of patience in the habit formation process. Change takes time, and setbacks are a natural part of the journey. Cultivating a mindset of resilience and understanding can help individuals stay committed to their goals.
These lessons provide valuable insights into the mechanics of habit formation, offering practical strategies for making lasting positive changes in life.
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick
A landmark book about how we form habits, and what we can do with this knowledge to make positive change
We spend a shocking 43 percent of our day doing things without thinking about them. That means that almost half of our actions aren't conscious choices but the result of our non-conscious mind nudging our body to act along learned behaviors. How we respond to the people around us; the way we conduct ourselves in a meeting; what we buy; when and how we exercise, eat, and drink--a truly remarkable number of things we do every day, regardless of their complexity, operate outside of our awareness. We do them automatically. We do them by habit. And yet, whenever we want to change something about ourselves, we rely on willpower. We keep turning to our conscious selves, hoping that our determination and intention will be enough to effect positive change. And that is why almost all of us fail. But what if you could harness the extraordinary power of your unconscious mind, which already determines so much of what you do, to truly reach your goals?
Wendy Wood draws on three decades of original research to explain the fascinating science of how we form habits, and offers the key to unlocking our habitual mind in order to make the changes we seek. A potent mix of neuroscience, case studies, and experiments conducted in her lab, Good Habits, Bad Habits is a comprehensive, accessible, and above all deeply practical book that will change the way you think about almost every aspect of your life. By explaining how our brains are wired to respond to rewards, receive cues from our surroundings, and shut down when faced with too much friction, Wood skillfully dissects habit formation, demonstrating how we can take advantage of this knowledge to form better habits. Her clear and incisive work shows why willpower alone is woefully inadequate when we're working toward building the life we truly want, and offers real hope for those who want to make positive change.
Good Habits, Bad Habits : Review 1
I have been on a kick for these kind of books lately but sometimes it can get difficult to read anything non-fiction. Sometimes it is why I hesitate to spend the money and worry that I am going to get bogged down with a lot of jargon I don't understand and techniques that are not practical. NOT THE CASE WITH THIS BOOK. This book explores the Science behind positive habits that stick and what it does for you to eliminate bad habits. Author Wendy Wood has done her research and has shared all that extensive research with us. Chock full of information, I was pleased to find out so much about positive habits and the changes that need to be made in order to make that kind of healthy lifestyle. Her writing style screams she is a person that is innovative and relatable and knows what she writes about. I am looking forward to the public getting their hands on this great book. Essential reading for all those ready to make positive changes in their lives.
Thanks to the good people of goodreads, to Author Wendy Wood, and the publishers Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for my free copy of this book won via giveaway. I received. I read. I reviewed this book honestly and voluntarily.
Good Habits, Bad Habits : Review 2
A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.
Rating: 3.5/5, rounded up to 4 - Thoroughly enjoyed it, although I do wish that it had been more concise.
This is the book to read if you want to learn everything there is to know about habits.
And I mean everything.
Wood goes into great detail on what distinguishes a habit from conscious cognition, how the neurology of habit formation differs from that of active choice, why our intentions are often not in line with our habitual actions, which cognitive biases and popularized scientific frameworks prevent us from accurately identifying and working with our habits, the extent to which human behavior is a product of willpower vs. context, how our knowledge of what is good vs. bad for us aligns or misaligns with our habits, what the specific steps of habit formation are, how reward plays into habit, the context of addiction as it pertains to habits, and a plethora of other topics which would make this review far too lengthy.
The thoroughness with which she explores this topic is truly impressive, to the extent where the book sometimes reads like a conversation with a friend who has already gotten their point across, but still keeps going. Although some examples could have been edited out for brevity, overall this is still beneficial, as all of Wood’s claims are backed up with extensive research. Moreover, this research is based in a variety of fields – everything from psychology to neurology to the impacts of urban planning. The studies referenced also present a good mix of controlled lab experiments, as well as field research and observational studies. As a result, the book is a bit cluttered at times, but for the reader who is willing to slog through and adapt to Wood’s excitement for habit-formation, the reward is a fascinating read full of interesting insights.
My two favorite aspects of the book were the fact that it offers a neurological perspective to habit formation, and that it gives real-life applications without entering the self-help genre.
I am currently very interested in neurology, especially in terms of how it plays out in behavior. Wood presented a compelling neurological argument for why habits form and stick as they do, and how this process differs from conscious cognition. She goes into some detail on which parts of the brain are responsible for cognition vs. habits, and illustrates why conscious cognition is so exhausting relative to the formation of efficient habits.
She also provides specific guidelines on how individuals might use this science (as well as the psychology of habit) to create contexts in which positive habits might thrive. While there is some suggestion that the reader might want to employ these methods, she presents them more as an observation than a guide, which I really appreciated. In short, she focuses more on the science than on the how-tos. The result is that the reader gains insight and knowledge into the processes of habits, which she or he can apply at will.
Overall, I would say that this is a fascinating book that I would certainly re-read or recommend to my friends. However, as it focuses on such a specific topic in very finite detail, this may not be a good fit for those who are not already interested in psychology, neurology, or sociology at least to some extent.
Good Habits, Bad Habits : Review 3
I really liked this book but at the same time it was a bit frustrating. The author illustrates hundreds of interesting studies that prove her point. It's unbelievable how much the power of habit controls our lives. And she proved to me that diets don't work, and worse that we always blame ourselves when a diet fails, pointing to our own lack of self control and weak willpower. Yet it's not our own willpower that failed us---it's the diet that failed us. There is a lot of money and resources that go into creating irresistible food. There are people who devote their whole careers to making us purchase food and drinks that are bad for us. Who do we think we are that we, of ordinary intelligence, and not in the business of making junk food for a living, are a match for the armies of people making Ben & Jerry's, Popeye's Chicken, and Krispy Kreme Donuts?
We simply need to establish healthy habits and let the power of habit carry us where the diets can't.
Yes, I said "simply" and therein lies the rub. The establishment of healthy habits is one of the hardest things in the world to do. In my opinion, it requires willpower to first get the habit started. While it's true, there are life-saving habits that we've all adopted: wearing seatbelts, brushing our teeth, they don't require any individual sacrifice in terms or time, effort or money. People often erroneous compare going to the gym (or any cardio exercise) to taking a pill. They say, "If you could take a pill that would guarantee you improved health, wouldn't you do it? Well, exercise is that pill." I find that argument ludicrous. Exercise is hard and generally boring work. There's nothing I love better than sitting on a comfy couch with a bag of popcorn reading a book in which the heroine is fanatically exercising.
Good Habits, Bad Habits : Review 4
I liked this almost as much as James Clear's Atomic Habits. Here are a few of my random notes:
Mark Twain said, “Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.”
“Our own behavior springs from some of the most mysterious, deeply hidden, and unrecognized sources of irrationality.”
“Excuse making is a talent at which our conscious minds excel.”
The food industry has been investing in hyperstimulating foods with the power to keep us eating. Scientists have devised ways to get you to eat more than you naturally desire.
“If our noisy, egotistical consciousness takes all the credit for the actions of our silent habitual self, we’ll never learn how to properly exploit this hidden resource. Our conscious self’s intrusion is keeping us from taking advantage of our habits.”
William James published The Principles of Psychology in 1890. He stated, “The more of the details of our daily life we can hand over to the effortless custody of automatism, the more our higher powers of mind will be set free for their proper work.” James also suggested, people act on habit “without any consciously formed purpose, or anticipation of result. Our responses are no longer aimed at seeking outcomes; instead they are triggered automatically by the performance context.”
Our reasons for acting become unimportant for habits. Goals and rewards are critical for starting to do something repeatedly. They are what lead us to form many beneficial habits in the first place. Habit memories simplify our lives by solving the everyday challenges of making decisions in an environment stuffed with choices. Acting on habit frees our conscious mind to do the tasks it was designed for, like solving problems.
Goethe wrote, “Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”
Many times the change in awareness is real but the change of behavior was nonexistent. The striking disconnect between what we know and what we do has deep origins in the brain.
Almost half of food preparation and consumption is habitual. We eat out of habit.
The famous Marshmallow studies on pre-school children demonstrated that children who were able to demonstrate self-control (25% who delayed gratification for 15 minutes for 2 marshmallows - “delayer” vs. “grabber” (75% who succumbed to the temptation of a single marshmallow) at a young age would enjoy greater success later in life. The 25% developed distracting strategies. When the study changed a bit, children were able to wait about 10 minutes when the treat was hidden vs. when it was in plain view, they lasted only 6 minutes. Yet, only when the marshmallow was available, visible, and tempting did waiting signal resiliently high performance throughout life. Lesson: we can arrange our world in a way that enables our success.
People high in self-control are not living a life full of self-denial and deprivation. They just have good habits. “High self-controllers achieved desired outcomes by streamlining, not struggling.” They know how to form good habits by repeating the same things at the same times and in the same places.
Pilots like to say that “good landings are the result of good approaches.”
Mark Twain said, “Quitting smoking is easy, I’ve done it hundreds of times.” In the 1950s, nearly 50% of the U.S. population smoked regularly (80% in the UK). Many doctors would tell you that smoking in moderation was perfectly fine. The turning point was in 1964 with the U.S. Surgeon General’s report. Warning labels were put on cigarette packs in 1966. In 1969, about 70% of Americans recognized that smoking was bad for health. Yet, knowledge did not translate into action. 40% of Americans were cigarette smokers in 1964 and 40% in 1973. Only about 15% of Americans and 28% of Europeans now smoke. The U.S. cut smoking prevalence by more than half in about 50 years. How? 68% of smokers say they want to quit completely but only 10% actually stop smoking for good. Most end up relapsing within a week, typically. To quit successfully can take 30 or more attempts. Nixon’s Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act took ads off of TV in 1970. Tobacco control laws changed the environment to be smaller and less contagious. Also, residents smoke less in states with higher taxes; for each 10% increase in taxes levied on a pack of cigarettes, adult smoking drops an average 4%. Tobacco control laws are restraining forces that increase the friction on smoking.
15% of our soldiers in Vietnam were addicted to heroin. Upon returning home, only 5% remained addicted. The context changed with greater friction – new surroundings and restraining forces.
Psychologist Kurt Lewin’s famous equation – B = f(P,E) or Behavior is a function of person and the context/environment.
Context is everything in the world surrounding you (e.g. your location, the people you are with, the time of day and the actions you just performed) – everything but you.
Friction reducer examples: regular auto transfer deposits from our paychecks to our savings account, “Would you like fries with that?”, Netflix or Hulu automatically starting the next show without you doing anything to encourage binge-watching, ride-sharing companies (Uber and Lyft), grocery stores “Eye level is buy level.”
Your habit in-formation requires persistence, repetition, and those savvy context-manipulation tricks. “Remove the friction, set the right driving forces, and let the good habits roll into your life.” Friction can be manipulated to help accomplish astounding things.
Don’t get discouraged; different behaviors require different amounts of repetition to become automatic. With bigger, louder cues, your habit potentially matures faster.
Uncertainty of rewards lures us to casinos. Nearly 70% of gaming profits come from electronic slots and video poker. Machines are programmed to display near-misses more often than chance. Getting so close to winning feels like an accomplishment. Insensitivity to reward is the gold standard for identifying a habit. Habits thrive on reward uncertainty.
Beyond reward uncertainty, habits don’t crave variety. Variety weakens habit. Only by keeping our life as consistent as possible will your habit grow. Variety may be the enemy of your habitual self, but it’s still the spice of life (you can’t run on habits alone).
25% of Americans report extreme stress in their lives. The Japanese even have a work (karoshi) for the extreme workplace stress that leads to death. Major life changes are stressful times full of uncertainty. Habits are safe harbors in stressful times. There is a boost in habit performance when the rest of our mind in drained by life. But they are also opportunities to reimagine ourselves and restructure our lives. Discontinuity forces us to think, make fresh decisions, and act in new ways – ones that may work better for us. Big events in our lives are an opportunity to declutter our habit selves and free them up so that we can consciously establish some new, more productive habits. These events can disrupt our “just good enough” habits and make us seek a newer, faster, more effective way of doing things. They are excellent opportunities for us to remake ourselves.
The double law of habit is repetition strengthens our tendency to act, but it also weakens our sensation of that act. We habituate. It has the power to sap force and meaning from our lives as we tend to keep doing things long after they have lost meaning for us. Life is a more intense experience once we’re no longer on autopilot.
Protect your good habits so that they can weather change, and use disruptions to pierce your bad habits at their most vulnerable places.
Economist Richard Thaler’s 2009 book Nudge discussed cues and context and choice architecture (e.g. default options and opt-in vs. opt-out for organ donation and 401-k contributions).
Good Habits, Bad Habits : Review 5
Maybe I’m a bit at fault here for the low rating, because I had different expectations going into this book and it just couldn’t meet them. Good Habits, Bad Habits is like a collection of practical reports written in plain language and based on things like impulse and habit and arbitrary thoughts which have somehow entered the collective consciousness (like being presented with two items and choosing the one you see last, unaware that they are both exactly the same, and proceeding to invent reasons for picking it). The point of this book is essentially to prove the author’s hypothesis that humans can’t force themselves to form habits which are difficult for them. We have to make these new tasks as easy, frictionless and mindless as endlessly consuming content on YouTube. I see her point here, but I also found that this demotivated me more than making me want to make positive changes in my life. If my new habit isn’t something I can easily incorporate into my life, why should I do it? It’s not like I’ll even have a chance to stick with it, this book says I’ll give up (probably tomorrow) because I have poor impulse control and this new habit is something I’ve historically struggled with, and according to this book, will always struggle with. If you’re trying to implement new habits into your life that can’t be taken apart and reduced into mindless activities to incorporate into your day, like kissing your partner, then you might find this book is not for you. The psychology isn’t so bad either, but I personally didn’t find most of this information to be groundbreaking, and I was aware of a good chunk of it already. All in all, this self help book did not allow me to self help and so I will continue to seek out one which will.
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English
Intermediate