The document summarizes key points from the book "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. It explains that habits emerge from a neurological loop consisting of a cue, routine, and reward. The cue triggers the routine and craving for the reward, which then reinforces the loop. To change habits, one must identify the cue, routine, and rewards to find substitutes that satisfy the same craving. Experimenting with different rewards can help shape new behaviors.

1. Habit, why we do what we do
A framework for understanding
how habits work and a guide to
experimenting with how they
might change.
Summary of the book
“The Power of Habit”, by Charles Duhigg
This material was used during an oral presentation; it is not a complete record of the discussion.
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2. Content
 Habit, definition
 The Habit Loop
 Cravings
 Framework for diagnosing and shaping habits
The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
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3. Habit, definition
 Something you do regularly, often without thinking.
 Habits, scientists say, emerge because the brain is constantly looking for ways
to:
Habit is a choice that we
 save effort, deliberately make at
 to fully participate in decision making, and some point, and then stop
thinking about, but
 divert focus to other tasks. continue doing, often
every day.
 Researchers from the MIT discovered a simple neurological
loop at the core of every habit, a loop process within our brains, that
consists of three parts:
2
Routine
1 Cue Reward 3
The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
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4. The Habit Loop
Phase 1: Cue Phase 2 : Routine Phase 3: Reward
• First, there is a cue, a • Then, there is a • Finally, there is a
trigger that tells your routine, a reward, which
brain to go into behavior or helps your brain
automatic mode and pattern, which figure out if this
which habit to use can be physical, particular loop is
mental or worth
emotional remembering for
the future
The Power of Habit
Craving: The driving force of the loop, a strong desire that must be satisfied by Charles Duhigg
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5. Cravings
As we associate cues with certain rewards, a
subconscious craving (strong
desire), emerges in our brains that starts the
habit loop spinning.
Studies have shown that a cue and a
reward, on their own, aren’t enough for a
new habit to last. Only when your brain
starts expecting the reward – craving for
The Cue, in addition to triggering a routine, must distraction - will it become automatic to pick
also trigger a craving for the reward to come. up the phone and read the message, in
order to get the reward, the news.
rewards satisfy cravings cravings drive our behavior
To overpower the habit, we must recognize which craving is driving the behavior
The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
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6. Diagnosing the habit loop of a particular behavior
 It’s the behavior you want to change
Identify
the  List all the steps involved in the behavior
routine
 At the moment of the urge, switch your
routine so it delivers a different reward
Experiment  As you test 4 or 5 different rewards, ask Look for patterns
with other
rewards yourself, “Do I still feel the urge for …?”
Identify the  Determine the reward you are craving
components
of your loop
 Where are you? When the urge
 What time is it? hits, write the
Isolate answers.
the cue  What is your emotional state?
Look for patterns
 Who else is around?
 What action preceded the urge?
Have a  Within psychology, these plans are known as “ implementation
plan intentions”
 Write a plan, a note, post –it, etc to make sure you remember to do The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
this when the urge arises.
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7. Shaping the Behavior – The cookie in the afternoon habit.
 Get up from your desk in the afternoon, walk to the
Identify the cafeteria, buy a chocolate chip cookie, and eat it while
routine chatting with friends
 Figure out which cravings are driving a
Experiment particular habit
with others  Adjust your routine several times so it
rewards delivers a different reward
Habit:
Eat a cookie  After 15 minutes at your desk, having
every day. tested different hypotheses, you find it
It has caused easy to get back to work
to gain a few
pounds
Testing different hypotheses Things that comes to your mind
1. Go outside, walk around the block, go back to desk without eating anything No Still feels the urge to get up
2. Go to cafeteria, buy a donut and eat it at your desk No Still feels the urge to get up
3. Go to cafeteria, buy an apple, eat it there while chatting with friends Yes Relaxed, ready to work
4. Go to vending machine, buy a coffee, drink it there alone No Still feels the urge to get up
5. Walk over to your friend’s office and chat for a few minutes, go back to desk Yes Relaxed, ready to work
Real reward: Temporary distraction and socialization that your habit sought to satisfy The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
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8. Shaping the Behavior – The cookie in the afternoon habit.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3
 Where are you ? At my desk Logistics Conference room
Isolate  What time is it ? 3.36 pm 3.18 pm 3.41 pm
the cue  What is your emotional state ? Bored Happy Tired for the project
 Who else is around ? No one Jim from HR Guys from the meeting
 What action preceded the urge ? Reply email Left an invoice Sat down at the meeting room
Habit:
Eat a cookie
every day.
It has caused
to gain a few
pounds
 I wrote a plan : At 3.30 pm every day, I will walk to a
Have a plan friend’s desk and talk for ten minutes
 To make sure I remember to do this, I set the alarm on
my watch for 3.30 pm.
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by Charles Duhigg
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9. The Runner’s Habit Loop
16 km. before breakfast
Driving Force Habit Loop
Craving Cue Routine Reward
The runner knows that The runner’s alarm The runner gets After his run, the
he will feel great after a goes off at 5.10 am, a dressed, fueled and runner enjoys a cup of
workout, so he anticipates signal for him to get reaches the road for coffee, feels less
the reward - craving the up and get outside. his running practice stressed, or a sense
endorphins, or sense of of accomplishment
accomplishment, etc. with his distance.
Rewards are powerful because they satisfy cravings
The Power of Habit
by Charles Duhigg
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10. Thanks
Summary of the book
“The Power of Habit”, by Charles Duhigg
This material was used during an oral presentation; it is not a complete record of the discussion.
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