THE 1ST LAW : Make It Obvious
Chapter 5 : The Best Way to Start a New Habit
Researchers did a survey with 3 groups:
- Control group - only ask to track exercise
- Motivated group - give info on benefits of exercise
- Give info on benefits of exercise plus asked to create plan with “During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on [DAY] at [TIME] in [PLACE].”
Results show that 35% of group 1 & 2 exercised at least once per week. 91% of the third group exercised at least once.
The sentence they filled out is what researchers refer to as an implementation intention, which is a plan you make beforehand about when and where to act. That is, how you intend to implement a particular habit.
The two most common cues are time and location. Implementation intentions leverage both of these cues.
Broadly speaking, the format for creating an implementation intention is:
“When situation X arises, I will perform response Y.”
The punch line is clear: people who make a specific plan for when and where they will perform a new habit are more likely to follow through.
Many people think they lack motivation when what they really lack is clarity. It is not always obvious when and where to take action.
The simple way to apply this strategy to your habits is to fill out this sentence:
“I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].”
For example:
- Meditation. I will meditate for one minute at 7 a.m. in my kitchen.
If you aren’t sure when to start your habit, try the first day of the week, month, or year. People are more likely to take action at those times because hope is usually higher. If we have hope, we have a reason to take action. A fresh start feels motivating.
Another benefit is it helps you say no to things that derail progress, distract your attention, and pull you off course.
HABIT STACKING: A SIMPLE PLAN TO OVERHAUL YOUR HABITS
It started with a story of a French philosopher, Denis Diderot, when his daughter was about to get marry but he didn’t have the money. He was helped by the Empress of Russia who enjoyed his encyclopedia and offered to buy his personal library for a large amount of money. Once he bought the first piece, he noticed the surrounding seemed out of placed and ended upgrading other possessions around him.
Diderot’s behavior is not uncommon. In fact, the tendency for one purchase to lead to another one has a name: the Diderot Effect. The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption that leads to additional purchases.
Many human behaviors follow this cycle. You often decide what to do next based on what you have just finished doing.
When it comes to building new habits, you can use the connectedness of behavior to your advantage. 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 is a special form of an implementation intention. Rather than pairing your new habit with a particular time and location, you pair it with a current habit.
The habit stacking formula is:
“After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].”
For example:
- Meditation. After I pour my cup of coffee each morning, I will meditate for one minute.
The key is to tie your desired behavior into something you already do each day. Once you have mastered this basic structure, you can begin to create larger stacks by chaining small habits together. This allows you to take advantage of the natural momentum that comes from one behavior leading into the next—a positive version of the Diderot Effect.
For example:
- After I meditate for sixty seconds, I will write my to-do list for the day.
- After I write my to-do list for the day, I will immediately begin my first task.
It’s like you always have a game plan for which action should come next.
the secret to creating a successful habit stack is selecting the right cue to kick things off. Consider when you are most likely to be successful.
Your cue should also have the same frequency as your desired habit. If you want to do a habit every day, but you stack it on top of a habit that only happens on Mondays, that’s not a good choice.
Habit stacking works best when the cue is highly specific and immediately actionable.
Be specific and clear: After I close the door. After I brush my teeth. After I sit down at the table.
Chapter Summary
- The 1st Law of Behavior Change is make it obvious.
- The two most common cues are time and location.
- Creating an implementation intention is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a specific time and location.
- The implementation intention formula is: I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].
- Habit stacking is a strategy you can use to pair a new habit with a current habit.
- The habit stacking formula is: After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].