I am now starting with the rules and guidelines for effective habit building😊 James Clear says, “The process of habit building can be divided into four simple steps: Cue, craving, response and reward.” The whole habit building journey revolves around these four steps.
The Cue is the trigger which initiates the brain. Our eye is on the prize and to win the prize the brain gives us a cue, which builds the craving, our second step. Craving is the motivation to act on the cue. Without desire nothing is possible, no change, no initiative, no action. James Clear gives a cute example here, saying, we are not motivated to brush our teeth, but the feeling of a clean mouth motivates us to brush well!
The thoughts, feelings and emotions of the person transform the cue into a craving. To act on the craving, we come to the next step, the response. The action taken, which is in line with the cue, and fulfils the craving, is the response. Response depends on a few things, some in our control and some not so much. What our state of mind is dictates the attitude we have towards the response. A very hard or difficult task does not easily motivate us because it already seems out of reach. Our attempts will be commensurate to our mental state and a half-hearted effort is likely.
Lastly, the response results in the reward, the end goal of every habit. Rewards teach us or satisfy us or both. That is the reason we chase the reward. The cue sees the reward, builds the craving and instigates a response, this sums up the habit adventure loop.
James Clear refers to this as the Four Laws of Behavior Change. He provides a simple set of rules for creating good habits and breaking bad ones.
Rules | How to create a Good Habit |
Cue | Make it obvious |
Craving | Make it attractive |
Response | Make it easy |
Reward | Make it satisfying |
The same law inverted to help break a bad habit:
Rules (Inversion) | How to Break a Bad Habit |
Cue | Make it invisible |
Craving | Make it unattractive |
Response | Make it difficult |
Reward | Make it unsatisfying |
This is the basic framework, for every habit ask the above four and ride along. Our identity is shaped by our habits, and habits are shaped by the systems we practice in our life. Observe and become aware of who you truly want to be and practice the systems which will help you be that person.
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