Ditch old habits and replace them with newer, more constructive ones—that’s how you climb the personal growth mountain to reach the self-actualisation summit. That lofty nirvana where you become all you can be—your true self. I can’t tell if that common refrain is self-help, religion, or psychology.
I enjoyed reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg; it strips away the mysticism and dives into the mechanics of habits. Duhigg focuses on positive reinforcement, breaking habits into two basic rules:
- Find a simple and obvious cue.
- Clearly define the reward.
For example, getting straight into my running gear when I wake up is my cue, and the reward is some strawberry yoghurt at lunch. Now, my brain anticipates the reward—sometimes, I can almost taste the yoghurt before I’ve even finished running. The habit has taken hold. Finding the motivation was tricky at first, but now? It barely requires effort.
But it wasn’t feel-good stories that convinced me—it was the story of Pepsodent toothpaste.
To create a fresh-tasting toothpaste, William Ruthrauff added citric acid and mint oil—ingredients that irritate your mouth just enough to create a cool, tingling sensation. As a kid, that tingle was unpleasant. But now? I crave it. My mouth doesn’t feel clean without it.
Because in the end, whether you’re lacing up running shoes or craving the minty burn of toothpaste, vague self-help won’t mystically summon willpower. Habits are systems—loops of cues, actions, and rewards. They transform routines from conscious effort into something automatic.
Something you crave.
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