How to Find and Fix the Causes of Your Bad Habits
5 concepts to master
Underlying Motives
ConceptDeep-seated human desires that drive our behaviors, such as conserving energy, finding love, or achieving status.
How It Works
Habits become associated with satisfying these motives, creating a craving loop where the behavior is repeated to fulfill the underlying need.
Prediction-Based Behavior
ConceptOur actions are heavily influenced by predictions our brain makes about the outcome of those actions based on past experiences.
How It Works
Cues in the environment trigger predictions about the consequences of certain behaviors, leading to feelings (cravings) that drive action; these predictions, not objective reality, cause habits.
Desire as a Gap
ConceptDesire arises from the perceived difference between your current state and your desired state.
How It Works
This gap motivates action to close the difference and achieve the desired internal state or feeling.
Reframing
ConceptAltering your mindset to view habits or situations in a more positive light by focusing on their benefits rather than their drawbacks.
How It Works
By changing the way you perceive an event, you alter the feelings associated with it, making it more attractive and easier to adopt.
Motivation Ritual
ConceptA routine that you perform before a particular activity to associate that activity with positive feelings.
How It Works
By consistently pairing the routine with an enjoyable experience, the routine becomes a cue that triggers those positive feelings and motivates you to perform the associated habit.