For a habit to stay changed, people must believe change is possible.

If you want to do something that requires willpower - like going for a run after work - you have to conserve your willpower muscle during the day.

A movement starts because of the social habits of friendship and the strong ties between close acquaintances. It grows because of the habits of a community, and the weak ties that hold neighborhoods and clans together. And it endures because a movement's leaders give participants new habits that create a fresh sense of identity and a feeling of ownership.

The same process that makes AA so effective—the power of a group to teach individuals how to believe—happens whenever people come together to help one another change. Belief is easier when it occurs within a community.

Small wins are a steady application of a small advantage.

It is facile to imply that smoking, alcoholism, overeating, or other ingrained patters can be upended without real effort. Genuine change requires work and self-understanding of the cravings driving behaviours.

When people have a willpower failure, it's because they haven't anticipated a situation that's going to come along.