The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

by Charles Duhigg

Habits are powerful, but delicate. They can emerge outside our consciousness, or can be deliberately designed.

They often occur without our permission, but can be reshaped by fiddling with their parts.

The truth is, the brain can be reprogrammed. You just have to be deliberate about it.”

Willpower isn’t just a skill. It’s a muscle, like the muscles in your arms or legs, and it gets tired as it works harder, so there’s less power left over for other things.”

Change might not be fast and it isn’t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.

Experiments have shown that almost all habitual cues fit into one of five categories: Location Time Emotional state Other people Immediately preceding action So if you’re trying to figure out the cue for the “going to the cafeteria and buying a chocolate chip cookie” habit, you write down five things the moment the urge hits