Atomic Habits book club: week 3
Make new habits more attractive than the alternative!
Welcome back to the Atomic Habits summer book club!
To catch you up, we’ve covered the fundamentals, and the 1st law of atomic habits, which is to make new habits “obvious”.
How are you finding it so far? What lightbulb moments have you had?
For me, it was the realisation that visual cues help me a lot when it comes to implementing and sustaining new positive habits. That means having my workout gear in full view in my bedroom when I wake up. Having the healthiest choices at the front of my fridge and storecupboard. And at work, having a white board in front of me with my goals for the quarter written LARGE on it!
Remember, we have a chat thread to share our experiences of this book and ask for accountability on new habits (or breaking bad ones!) if you need it. Come say hi!
Onto this week’s chapter and discussion…
The 2nd law of atomic habits: make them attractive
Why are some habits easier to form than others? It’s because they feel more enticing than the status quo. And they often come with rewards! If you’re anything like me, you’ll be familiar with the role that dopamine plays in this, but let’s break it down.
The Role of Dopamine: A Chemical Incentive
Dopamine, often known as the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, plays a crucial role in habit formation. When we anticipate a reward, our dopamine levels spike, driving our motivation to engage in the activity. This anticipation, rather than the actual reward, is what fuels our desire to act. Think about the thrill of getting your medal when you finish a marathon, or in my world, as a life-long learner, the satisfaction and fulfilment that comes from gaining a new certification or completing a new area of study.
Looking ahead to the reward / benefit we’ll gain when we commit to a good habit is a great way of using dopamine in a helpful way (vs bingeing on bad food, scrolling social media etc).
Action: think about the role positive anticipation can play as you form new habits. Is there a benefit or reward you can visualise to keep you going?
Temptation Bundling: Pairing “Wants” with “Shoulds”
A practical method to make habits more attractive is through temptation bundling. This involves linking an action you need to do with one you want to do. For instance, if you enjoy listening to podcasts but need to catch up on reports, you could listen to your favourite podcast while working on the report. This combination makes the less appealing task more attractive and increases the likelihood of completion.
Action: how could you bundle a “want” with a “should” in building a new habit? For me, I will look at how I can listen a new audio book whilst out walking.
The Influence of Social Environment
Our behaviour is often a reflection of the people we surround ourselves with and Clear emphasises the importance of leveraging social norms to make habits more attractive. When we see our peers engaging in certain behaviours, we're more likely to adopt those behaviours ourselves. It’s like the positve version of being in with the in crowd at school. .We want to belong to the group that is doing the things we aspire to do, be that exercise, healthy eating or positive leadership behaviours at work.
Action: Think about how you can surround yourself with peers and people that share the same goals and habits as you do. Or, if you’re a leader encouraging your team into more positive work habits, how can you be that role model for them?
Reframing: Changing the Narrative
This one’s a great one for me as a leadership coach, as it’s something I often support my clients with! The way we perceive a habit can greatly affect our willingness to adopt it. Reframing a habit involves changing its narrative to emphasise its positive aspects. For example, instead of viewing a new project as a daunting challenge, frame it as an exciting opportunity for growth and learning. This shift in perspective can make the habit more appealing and increase engagement.
Action: How can you reframe your current challenge or habit into something more attractive and compelling? For me, this looks like reframing “reducing sugar” to “feeling at my best every day”.
This was a great chapter for me, as I lean heavily towards that dopamine rush and I need rewards to keep me motivated. So I’ll be trying these things out over the next couple weeks, how about you?
Remember to use the chat thread if you want to discuss this chapter!
And see you soon for chapter 3.