Habits are formed because every action activates a specific pattern in the dorsal striatum. Each time you follow the same path, it becomes more and more defined in your brain—in other words, the neurons in the dorsal striatum are wired together more strongly. In addition, each time you activate that brain pattern, it becomes easier to activate the next time. So pretty soon, it’s nearly impossible to create a new path—all your brain wants to do is follow old tracks.
