The Power of Habit (Book Report)

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life

by Charles Duhigg

Our entire lives consist of habits, both large and small in scale. In the book "The Power of Habit" Charles Duhigg explores the life-changing effects which come from the implementation of habits. Through a series of patterns which lead to a habit cycle, goals can be accomplished as small-scale as the quitting of smoking, or as large-scale as becoming a CEO. The book starts with the story of a man who lost the ability to memorize or learn new things, much like the famed H.M. One day, his wife found that he had left the house, and panicked. Eventually, he found his way back to the house because a part of his brain, the basal ganglia, is responsible for automated behaviors that occur without having to learn at all through a process called "chunking". The book then explains how experiments were carried out on rats which showed a similar effect, as the rats found their way around the maze, it became less about learning information, but instead was habit that took less and less brain power each time. The book then explains the concept of a habit loop, a process which includes three aspects: cue, routine, and reward. If a reward is gained through the habit, it is more likely to be automated within the brain, and less processing power will be devoted to it, it then becomes a habit. 

Throughout this class we have learned the powerful effects motivation has on people. It saved Shackleton and his crew from a frosty death. It has motivated me to hit the gym, try to beat Elden Ring, and work on goals I have put on the backburner. A great chapter in the book is the Golden Rule of Habit Change. We are able to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones through the habit cycle. One great way to go about this change is in a group setting, having others trying to attain the same goal, offer support, and celebrate victories together. This certainly motivates me to make positive changes in my life. The great thing about forming new habits is it isn't an overnight process, so there's no rush to transform your life over a single day. Instead, by altering negative patterns in your life, the better habits will eventually become second nature. 

This video explains how creating habits can alter your entire life for the better