Habits: Why They Matter and How to Change Them

In earlier posts, I shared my journey with habit formation and how one simple habit transformed my life. That experience sparked a deep fascination with the science behind habits and why they are so powerful. But knowing the science alone doesn't magically erase bad habits or make good ones stick overnight. It's more complex than just recognising the need for change.

If forming habits were as simple as setting goals, we'd all achieve our New Year's resolutions effortlessly, right? Yet, we all know it's not that easy.

What Rats Taught Us About Habits

The core principles of habit formation aren’t complicated, but applying them is where the challenge lies. One of the most foundational concepts in habit science is the "Habit Loop," popularised by Charles Duhigg and James Clear. The origins of this loop come from groundbreaking research at MIT, where scientists studied the behaviour of rats navigating mazes.

Initially, as the rats explored the maze, their brain activity was high. But once they learned the layout, their brain activity reduced as if they were running on autopilot. The fascinating part? When a reward, like chocolate, was introduced, the rats’ brains became conditioned to associate the cues in the maze with the reward. Over time, their brains only fired at the start and end of the task, reinforcing the habit.

When the reward was removed, however, the brain’s activity surged again, as the rats had to figure out why the reward was missing. Eventually, with no reward, the habit faded. But when the reward returned, the habit loop reactivated quickly. This research shows that neural pathways don’t disappear; they may fade, but they can always be reactivated, which is why breaking old habits can be so challenging.

The Habit Loop

Duhigg simplified this complex idea into the "Habit Loop," which consists of three parts:

1. Cue: A trigger that starts the habit.

2. Routine: The behaviour itself.

3. Reward: The benefit you gain from completing the habit.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

For example, if you come downstairs every morning and turn off the security alarm (cue), your routine is to physically press a button to disable it, and the reward is avoiding the blaring alarm. Over time, this behaviour becomes automatic. But if you're distracted, say by your cat (can you tell this is a real-life story), and forget to turn off the alarm, the routine breaks, and the consequence (alarm going off) reminds you how ingrained the habit had become - you’d stopped thinking about what we were doing because it had become automated.

Observing and Changing Habits

Understanding your habits requires self-observation. Let’s say you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through social media each evening. To uncover the habit loop, start by noting these elements:

- Location

- Time

- Emotional state

- People around you

- Action preceding the habit

You might realise that you scroll through social media right after dinner, feeling sluggish and bored. The reward is the stimulation you get from scrolling—an instant dopamine hit.

To change a habit, you first need to understand what you're really craving. If your craving is stimulation and distraction, replace scrolling with a more beneficial activity—like going for a walk or calling a friend. The key is to consciously decide to take a different path and, over time, this new behavior can replace the old one.

The Identity Shift

One of the most powerful concepts in James Clear’s *Atomic Habits* is the idea of identity-based habits. To change your habits for good, you must shift how you view yourself. For example, instead of setting a goal to "read more books," shift your identity to “I’m a person who reads daily."

This identity shift helps align your actions with who you want to become. When I shifted my mindset from “I’m not a runner” to “I am a runner,” it transformed how I approached running (and I managed to run 5km in 25mins), even though it was never my favourite activity and still isn’t (lol).

The Power of Small Habits

Habits govern much of our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. The good news is that small, consistent changes have a compounding effect over time. Building the life you love doesn’t require a massive overhaul—it can be done one small habit at a time.

If you’re looking to introduce or change a habit, remember: start small, stay consistent, and over time, big changes will follow.

Take Action:

For a free habit setter/tracker to help you stay accountable, download my Ready, Set, Habit guide.

If you're ready for more personalised coaching, feel free to get in touch for a one-on-one session!