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{"id":3810,"date":"2021-09-09T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-09T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/?p=3810"},"modified":"2023-05-10T12:14:43","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T16:14:43","slug":"how-to-create-a-habit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/how-to-create-a-habit\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Habit without Forcing It (Start with Something Small)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The things that happen in your life today are the sum of your habits and routines. That means everything, from your happiness to your weight, result of what you do repeatedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even success can happen, or not, because of your habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The things you spend time doing or thinking about each day create the person you are right now. That includes what you believe, and even your personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means you can improve literally anything by forming new habits. When you know how to create them without forcing it, you\u2019ll start a journey that leads to the destination you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People Form New Habits Form in Four Stages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The process of building new habits can be divided into four steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Cues<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Cravings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Responses<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Rewards<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    All habits work their way through these four consecutive stages. It is the backbone of the choices and routines people make each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A closer look at each stage makes it easier to understand why some habits are easier to form than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n
    \n
    \"the<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
    \n

    The Power of Habit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    by Charles Duhigg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u23f1 14 minutes reading time<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \ud83c\udfa7 Audio version available<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    Get the key ideas on Snapreads<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    The Cue Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Cues trigger the brain to start a specific behavior. It is a voice that says, \u201cIf you take this action, a reward should happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In the past, our basic necessities served as the primary cue. If you were hungry, you went hunting or gathered supplies. When you felt thirsty, you found water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Today, our focus is on secondary rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It might be love, approval, social status, or even money that drives the thought of a reward. Since a cue says a reward is close, it pushes the brain to progress to the next stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Cravings Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Cravings are the motivational force behind each habit. There must be a level of desire or motivation to change, or there is no reason to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What people crave isn\u2019t the new habit, but the change it delivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You don\u2019t crave caffeine. What you want is the feeling that a cup of coffee offers in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Each craving links to a specific desire to change an internal state. They are different for each person because every human is unique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why one person can walk through a casino feeling bored, while another craves some time at the slots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The craving defines the cue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Responsive Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Each response is the habit you perform. It can be a thought or an action. Whether it occurs or not depends on your motivation and any friction there is associated with the behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If specific actions require more effort than you\u2019re willing to offer, the response won\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A person\u2019s response also depends on their ability. If someone wants to develop a habit of doing 100 pushups each day, their physical strength will limit that number during the initial response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Habits only form when people can do them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Rewards Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Eventually, the response a person earns a reward. This goal is the purpose behind each habit and routine people establish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The cue notices the reward, while the craving wants it. When you reach the responsive stage, it becomes necessary to earn what is desired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We chase rewards because they teach and satisfy us. Some offer benefits by themselves, such as water quenching thirst. It can also deliver a sense of relief, because the craving is no longer present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A reward also teaches the actions worth remembering for future needs. The human brain is a rewards detector. It constantly monitors the activities that deliver pleasure and satisfy desires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The rewards you earn end up becoming part of a feedback system that monitors joy and disappointment, so a habit cycle forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How Do We Create Habits Using This Information?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When you decide to create a habit, ask yourself these four questions based on the different stages the mind uses to create change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n