All right. So welcome to your like atomic habits cheat sheet. It's your shortcut, you know, to understanding and really applying these core concepts of habit for me. And of course, you've joined us for season one of the deep dive, which we're calling Atomic Habits for Beginners. That's right. And today we're diving deep, no pun intended, into episode three, four easy steps to habit formation.
Love it. Our mission is to unpack that fundamental framework, you know, how habits actually work. We're drawing from some seriously insightful research and explanations so you can just like immediately grasp these. Absolutely. And to really get down to that bedrock of how habits form, we can look all the way back to 1898 to the work of psychologist Edward Thorndike. He had this really fascinating experiment using cats and puzzle boxes.
And while it sounds, you know, maybe kind of simple on the surface, it actually reveals these like fundamental principles about how we learn to repeat behaviors. Right. Which is really, you know, the essence of habit formation. OK, so puzzle boxes. Paint me a picture. What was actually happening here? So Thorndike, he placed these cats individually inside these boxes.
And the only way for them to escape to get a reward, which was usually a little bit of food. Okay. Was to perform this like very specific. Simple action. It could be anything from like pulling a cord to pressing a lever, even just stepping on a little platform. Imagine yourself as the cat. Right. Trapped in this unfamiliar space, this smell of food. wafting in just out of reach. Right. So you're just going to like.
Try anything to get out. Yeah, exactly. Initially, the cats would like thrash around. They'd be scratching, biting, pushing, just, you know, engaging in these random movements. And it was through this process of trial and error that they would eventually. And this was like.
stumble upon the solution. So like a cat might just brush against a lever, click, the door opens, food. Right. So it's like an accidental discovery at first. But what happened next? Like, did they just keep randomly bumping into the escape mechanism? Not at all. Thorndike, he was very meticulous. And he recorded how long it took each cat to escape over multiple attempts. Okay. What he observed was this clear and consistent pattern. Okay. With each successful escape followed by the reward.
The cats got faster and faster at performing that necessary action. They were learning. Okay. So, I mean, they were getting good. Like, this wasn't just luck anymore. They were figuring it out. Exactly. Exactly. It was this cause of the fact this action leads to reward. Right. and they were repeating that action more efficiently. I actually have a specific example in my notes. There's a cat.
they called Cat 12. Okay, yeah. What about Cat 12? Cat 12's learning curve, I think, is a really good illustration of this. On its very first attempt, it took a full 160 seconds to figure out how to get out of the box. Wow. But look at the progression. 30 seconds, then 90, then 60. There was some variability. But overall, you see this clear downward trend. By the final few trials, CAT-12 was consistently escaping in an average of just 6.3 seconds.
You know, essentially it had learned the habit of performing that action to get free and get that food. Yeah. I mean, that's that's a massive improvement in time. Huge. So from all these observations, Thorndike came up with what's known as the law of effect.
So essentially it states that behaviors followed by satisfying consequences tend to be repeated. Whereas behaviors that lead to those unpleasant consequences, they're less likely to be repeated. You know, when you think about it with those cats... Pressing the lever led to escape and food. That behavior just became stronger and stronger. Precisely. And, you know, while Thorndike was working with, you know, cats in these boxes, this principle, this law of effect.
it gives us this really crucial starting point for understanding how habits take root in our own lives as humans. Right. And it starts to answer these really key questions for us like, What is a habit? Right. And, you know, why does our brain even bother going through the process of building them in the first place? Right. Because it's not like we just, you know, one day decide I'm going to automate this. Exactly.
And it's a great point because let's go back to those cats and that initial puzzle box experience. Okay. It was a totally novel situation for them. Right. Their brains didn't have a ready-made solution to escape. So they had to, you know, explore. They had to go through trial and error. Right. When we encounter new situations, Our brains are similarly in overdrive.
We're consciously analyzing what's happening. We're weighing different options, making decisions. We're just absorbing tons of new information. Right, right. And it's very it's a very neurologically demanding, energy intensive process. Right. Your brain is just like working over time trying to figure out like, OK, what do I do here? Exactly. But every now and then.
You know, just like those cats accidentally hitting the lever. We stumble upon a solution that gives us a reward. Right. OK. Yeah. Maybe you're feeling really anxious and you discover, wow, going for a run really clears my head. Yeah. Or after a stressful work day. Playing this particular video game, that helps me unwind. There's that aha.
moment, that unexpected but positive outcome. And then our brains are like, wait, hold on. How do we get there? I need to remember that. Exactly. Exactly. Your brain starts taking notes like, OK, what happened in the moments leading up to that reward?
It's forming that feedback loop. Okay. You tried something. It resulted in this outcome, either good or bad. You learn from that experience and you adjust your approach the next time. Right. And when we encounter these similar problems, these stresses over and over again.
Our brains start to automate the process of finding that solution. Right. And that automation, that sequence of actions, we do it without even thinking about it. That's basically what a habit is. You know, the behavioral scientist, Jason Reha, he put it really well. He said.
habits are simply reliable solutions to recurring problems in our environment. Yeah, I like that. So basically the brain's like, okay, this worked before. Let's just make this our go-to response. We don't have to think about it every time. Exactly, exactly. And as these habits become more ingrained... something really interesting happens in the brain. the level of neural activity actually decreases when we're performing the habit. Oh, interesting. Okay.
So we learned to filter out all the irrelevant information. And we just focus on those specific cues that predict success. Right. So you're getting more efficient as you go. Exactly. You're getting hyper efficient. OK. So when a similar situation pops up in the future.
We already have that mental rule. It's like an if this, then that script that we follow automatically. So instead of like consciously debating what to do when you feel that afternoon slump, you just automatically reach for that cup of coffee. And a choice that once required, you know, some effort now happened.
Like effortlessly, a habit has formed. And your brain's like already three steps ahead. Totally, totally. Okay, so it's like our brains are constantly creating these little mental shortcuts. Yes. Just based on our experiences. Precisely. Habits are like mental shortcuts. Learn from experience. You can almost think of a habit as like a stored memory of the most efficient steps to take to solve that problem. Right. So we've encountered this before. We know what to do.
And, you know, the primary reason that our brain is so good at remembering the past, it's to help us predict what will work in the future. And this is so valuable, this whole process, because our conscious mind is actually pretty limited in its capacity. We can only really focus on one thing at a time effectively.
So our brains are constantly looking for ways to offload those routine tasks to the non-conscious mind, to just handle it automatically. That's the real power of habits, right? Right. It frees up our mental resources. for more complex and essential tasks. Right. So it's not about being like robotic. It's actually like making your brain more efficient. So you can like do bigger and better things.
Exactly. But this brings up a question that a lot of people have when they think about habits. Right. Yeah. Does this restrict our freedom? Right. Like so much of our day is on autopilot. Doesn't that make life a bit, you know, dull or less spontaneous? That's such a great question and the answer is, I mean, it's a resounding no. habits, when you really understand them, they don't restrict freedom. They actually create it.
think about it this way the individuals who haven't developed like good helpful habits in key areas of their lives they're actually the ones experiencing the least amount. Okay, so, like, give me some examples. What do you mean? Okay, so consider financial habits. Okay. You know, without those good habits around budgeting, saving, managing money, you might find yourself, like, constantly stressed about finances.
And that's going to limit your ability to pursue opportunities, even just handle unexpected expenses. Right. That's a lack of. Or think about health habits. If you don't have those good habits around sleep, nutrition, exercise. You might constantly be feeling low energy. You might be dealing with health issues, which is severely restricting what you can do, what you can enjoy. And even learning habits. Without good routines for acquiring new knowledge, new skills.
Unable to adapt to new situations. Right. So if you're constantly having to make these conscious decisions about these fundamental tasks. when to exercise, when to work, when to pay the bills. Mental energy. I'm just tired. You're exhausted. Yeah. And less time to dedicate to those things you really value. Right. So by like automating the fundamentals, it frees us up to actually focus on the things that matter, the things that we enjoy. Precisely. Precisely.
You know, when the basics are handled almost automatically, you know, through those good habits. Right. Your mind is liberated. You can focus on new challenges. You can engage in deeper thinking and ultimately you can experience more of what life has to offer. Right. It's like building those habits now is an investment in your future freedom. Exactly. OK, so we've established habits. They're a good thing.
Our brains develop them for efficiency. Right. And they actually contribute to our freedom. Yeah. So now let's get to the core of what we're talking. The four step process of how habits actually. This is where things get really practical and I think incredibly empowering. You know, the formation of any habit, whether it's something you do every day without thinking or a more conscious routine you're trying to build, it follows this four-step pattern.
craving, response, and reward. Think of it like the fundamental operating system for all of our habits. Got it. So cue, craving, response, reward. Let's break each of those down. Okay. Starting with the first one, the cue. What is a cue when we talk about how? So the cue is essentially the trigger. It prompts your brain to initiate a behavior. It's a piece of information and it can be internal or external. That signals the possibility of a reward. Yeah.
And if you think about it, if we go back to like our evolutionary roots for a minute. Okay. Our ancestors. They were constantly scanning their environment for cues that indicated essential rewards. Right. You know, things like food, water, signs of safety. Survival. Yeah, exactly. Survival. In our modern world, while those basic cues still exist, We're also responding to cues that predict secondary reward.
recognition from others, a boost in status, approval, love, friendship, or even like a feeling of personal satisfaction. So it's like our brain is saying, like, hey, there might be something good here. Exactly. Pay attention. Exactly. Our minds are constantly analyzing our internal state. Are we bored? Are we tired? Are we stressed? and our external environment. Where are we? What time is it? Who are we with?
looking for those little hints that a reward might be within reach. And because the cue is that initial predictor of something positive, it naturally leads to the next step. The craving. Okay, so craving. Is that like... More than just wanting something? It is. Craving is like the motivational engine behind every habit. Without that desire, without that craving for a change in your current state, there's no real reason to take action. But here's a really critical insight.
What you're craving isn't actually the habit itself. It's the change in state that you anticipate that habit will deliver. So you don't crave the act of smoking. You crave the feeling of relaxation. Right. The stress release that you've associated with.
You're not necessarily motivated by brushing your teeth. You're motivated by the feeling of a clean mouth. Right. The outcome. Exactly. It's the outcome. You don't just want to turn on the TV. You want to be entertained. You want to be distracted. Right. So every craving is linked to this underlying desire.
to alter your internal state. Okay, so it's not the thing, it's the feeling we expect from the thing. Exactly, precisely. And it's also important to remember that cravings are individual. Okay. What might trigger a strong craving in one person... could be meaningless to another. Right, because we all have different experiences. Exactly. So for someone who struggles with gambling, the lights and sounds of a slot machine, that can create an irresistible craving.
But for someone who's not interested in gambling, it's just noise. It's background noise. It's just background noise. So cues themselves are neutral. Right. It's our thoughts, our feelings, our past experiences, and our emotions. that really interpret those cues and transform them into a craving. So we've got the cue, which acts as a trigger. That leads to the craving, the desire to change our...
What's next? Okay, so the third step is the response. Okay. This is the actual habit that you perform. And it could be a physical action. Right. Or even a thought. And whether you actually perform the response, it really depends on two things. Okay. First. your motivation how strong is that craving okay and second the friction associated with the behavior okay
So if the response requires too much physical effort, mental energy or time, you're probably not going to do it. Right. It's too hard. It's too hard. Yeah. And your ability also plays a role. You might really want to dunk a basketball. But if you can't jump high enough... Well, it's just not possible. It's just not going to happen. It's not going to happen. So the response is the thing we do or think in reaction to the craving, you know, if we're motivated enough. Exactly. Exactly.
And then the fourth and final step is the reward. Okay. This is the ultimate goal of every habit. So the cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is wanting the reward. The response is how you get the reward. And rewards serve two purposes. First, they satisfy that craving. And second, maybe even more importantly, they teach us which actions...
are worth remembering and repeating. So the reward is like the payoff. It feels good, but it also tells our brain, hey, remember this whole sequence, it worked. Exactly. Exactly. So rewards give us that immediate satisfaction, you know, that feeling of relief when the craving is fulfilled. Right. But what's also important is the learning aspect. You know, our brains are like sophisticated reward detections.
When we experience pleasure, when we experience satisfaction after doing something, our brains take note. Interesting. Okay. And those feelings of pleasure or even disappointment, they're like feedback. They help us differentiate between actions that are beneficial and those that are not. And the reward basically closes that whole feedback loop and completes the habit cycle, making it more likely to be repeated in the future.
So it sounds like all four of those steps, the cue, the craving, the response, the reward. Yeah. They're all essential for the habit to actually form and stick around. Absolutely. You got it. If there's no clear cue, the habit won't be triggered. Right. If the craving is not strong enough, you won't have the motivation. Right. If the behavior is too hard.
You're not going to do it. And if the reward isn't good, you're going to be like, well, what was the point of that? Exactly. Yeah. Your brain will have no reason to repeat it. And it's just not going to become a habit. It won't stick. So this all sounds like this ongoing cycle. It is. The four stages of habit formation, they're best understood as this feedback loop. We call it the habit loop. It's constantly running in the background. Our brains are...
scanning for those cues, making predictions, experimenting, learning from those rewards. And all this is happening like crazy fast. Oh, yeah, in a fraction of a second, often without us even realizing it. Right, subconsciously. Totally, totally. You know, we can even think about dividing these steps into two phases. Okay. So first, we have the problem phase. Okay. That's the cue and the craving. All right. This is where you're like, okay, something needs to change.
Whether it's a desire to get something good or avoid something bad. And then we have the solution phase. This is the response and the reward. This is where you actually take action to solve that problem and experience the outcome. So, like you said before, flipping a light switch in a dark room, that's a perfect example of the habit loop happening automatically. So I walk into a dark room. That's the cue. Yes.
Immediately, I'm like, I need light. That's the craving. The craving. I flip the switch. That's the response. The response. The light comes on. That's the reward. Exactly. And it just happens. It just happens. And most of our adult habits work this way. you know, without us thinking about it. Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. Okay. So understanding this loop. The cue, the craving, the response, and the reward. Yes. That's the key to understanding how our habits work.
It is. It is. And it gives us this foundation for the final part of what we're talking about today. Right. How we can actually use this. knowledge to make changes in our behavior and break free from those unwanted habits. So this brings us to this framework that comes from those four steps, the four laws of behavior. So it sounds like these laws are like the practical application of everything we've been talking about. Exactly. The four laws of behavior change, they're like.
This set of rules that we can use to build good habits and break bad ones. Think of each law as like a lever that influences behavior. When these levers are in the right spot, creating good habits becomes easier. Okay. But when they're in the wrong spot... It can be really tough. So what are those four laws for creating good habits? Okay. So the first law, which addresses the cue, is make it obvious. Okay. The second law for the craving is make it attractive. Okay.
The third for the response, make it easy. Okay. And the fourth for the reward, make it satisfying. Okay. And you mentioned we can flip these laws around, right? Yes. If we want to break a habit. Exactly. To break a bad habit, you want to do the opposite. Okay. So the inverse of make it obvious is make it invisible. Make it attractive becomes make it unattractive. Okay. Make it easy becomes make it difficult. Okay. And make it satisfying becomes make it unsatisfying.
If I'm trying to stop snacking on cookies late at night, I could make it invisible. I could just not have cookies in the house. Exactly. I can make it unattractive. Like, okay, well, this is actually bad. Make it difficult. Put them like way up high in the cupboard. Yes, exactly. Make it hard to get to. And then unsatisfying, like, OK, even if I do get a cookie, don't let myself enjoy it. Yeah. Remove that enjoyment. So while those four laws might not like.
everything about changing behavior right they sound really useful as a framework they are you know whether we're talking about sports or business or health or just personal growth right these principles are at play so whenever we're trying to change We can ask ourselves those four questions.
How can I make it obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying? Exactly. And if it's a bad habit, how do I do the opposite? Exactly. And if you've ever wondered why you struggle to stick to those goals, you know, like. Losing weight or quitting smoking or saving money. Right. The things we all struggle. Yeah. The reason often comes back to those four laws. Really? Yeah. The key is being aware of them. Right. And knowing how to adjust those cues, those cravings, those responses, those rewards.
to get where you want to go. Because if you're not aware of those, you're basically swimming upstream. Exactly. It's like fighting against the current. It's so much harder. Way harder. So it sounds like the habits we have are really shaped by the systems and the environments we have. Totally. And these four laws give us the tools to actually design those systems. They do. So we can encourage good habits and make those bad habits fade away. Exactly. Yeah.
Okay, so to wrap up, let's go over the key takeaways. First, a habit is just a behavior that's been repeated enough to become automatic. Second, habits exist to help us solve problems efficiently. Third, every habit follows that loop. Q, craving, response, and reward. You got it. And finally, those four laws of behavior change make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying. They give us this awesome framework for shaping our behavior. They do. So we hope this atomic habit...
has given you some insight into how your habits work. And understanding this is the first step to making real changes. Absolutely. This was just one deep dive into Atomic Habits, part of our Atomic Habits for Beginners season. There's so much more to explore from making those cues obvious to making those rewards truly satisfying.
So to keep learning and support our work, head over to themessypodcast.com. Yes. You'll find all the books we've covered this season and other ways to connect with us. Yeah, come check us out. And as you go about your day, think about your own habit.
Can you spot the pews, the cravings, the responses, the rewards? What problems are those habits solving for you? Understanding that is the key to making those lasting changes. Couldn't have said it better myself. All right. That's it for this deep dive. We'll catch you next time.