Then one day, weโll put the reward in the old place, and put in the rat, and, by golloy, the old habit will rememerge right away. habits never really disappear. Theyโre encoded into the sturctures of our brain, and thatโs a huge advantage for us, because it would be awful if we had to relearn how to drive after every vacation. The problem is that your brain canโt tell the difference between bad and good habits, and so if you have a bad one, itโs always lurking there, waiting for the right cues and rewards.
Charles DuhiggShampoo doesnโt have to foam, but we add foaming chemicals because people expect it each time they wash their hair. Same thing with laundry detergent. And toothpasteโnow every company adds sodium laureth sulfate to make toothpaste foam more. Thereโs no cleaning benefit, but people feel better when thereโs a bunch of suds around their mouth. Once the customer starts expecting that foam, the habit starts growing.
Charles DuhiggSimply giving employees a sense of agency- a feeling that they are in control, that they have genuine decision-making authority - can radically increase how much energy and focus they bring to their jobs.
Charles DuhiggThereโs something really powerful about groups and shared experiences. People might be skeptical about their ability to change if theyโre by themselves, but a group will convince them to suspend disbelief. A community creates belief.
Charles Duhigg