The book Atomic Habits by James Clear, if you have read it talks about steps to build transformative small habits that compound to greater results. Big results happen because of small consistent steps taken towards that result. You do not have to wait for one big ” break ” for you to turn your life around for the better.
In this blog post, I’ll be buttressing on laws of behavioural changes highlighted by James Clear in his book and examples on how to apply the laws.
There are four (4) laws of behavioural changes or rules to follow to build consistent life-changing habits. Which include;
- Make it obvious (Cue).
- Make it attractive (Craving).
- Make it easy (Response).
- Make it satisfying (Reward).
To make it easier to remember, these laws are summarised as Cue, Craving, Response and Reward.
A cue is a trigger that starts a habit loop. It is something you see that makes you want to do that habit. Craving is the hunger you aim to satisfy after carrying out the habit. Simply, it is the motivation for carrying out the habit. If the motivation is not strong enough, you might end up not performing the habit. The response is the habit itself, carrying out the habit and the reward is the benefit from performing the habit.
Make it Obvious
For you to carry out any habit at all especially if it’s one you want to initiate, you must make it visible. Let’s say reading, you can decide to keep a book nearby. Set reading reminders on your phone to get you acquainted with the new habit you want to cultivate. Another example is if you want to get fit, keeping your workout clothes close to your bed can be a great cue to doing your workout.
Make it Attractive
Here, you think about the benefits of that habit that you don’t want to miss out on. This sets up the motivation for wanting to do the habit. For example reading, it could be you can’t wait to learn from the book and become an intellectual. Or even the thought of getting to your desired weight.
Make it Easy
For a habit to be performed successfully, it has to be something you can easily do. If the barrier to doing that habit is very high, the chances of performing the habit become very low. Make the habit a low-hanging fruit, easily attainable. For example, reducing the barrier to reading, looking out for a cosy spot to read without distractions, putting your devices on do not disturb and simply enjoying the flow of your reading makes reading an enjoyable activity. Doing a home workout instead of postponing a workout because the gym is quite far is another way to make the habit easier and doable.
Make it Satisfying
Finally, it’s for you to make it rewarding, find ways to reward yourself when you successfully complete a habit. You are reinforcing the identity of the person you want to become and you are happier. Say you hit a reading goal, you could decide to treat yourself to a cup of coffee. Buy yourself something you’ve been craving or even reflect on the book and how you would apply its lessons to your life. Treating yourself stimulates an area of the brain and encourages you to keep working at the habit.
The book also talks about implementation intention. Setting time for when and where you’d like to perform a habit. Which always signals you and helps you follow through with the habit.
Another powerful way to consistently read is to set a time and location for your reading. That way when the time comes, your brain signals you that it’s time for reading.
I hope you’ve learned one or two things today ❤️❤️❤️
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