The Science Of Habit Formation And Change

• First, there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use.
• Then there is the routine, which can be physical or mental or emotional.
• Finally, there is a reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future.

When a habit emerges, the brain stops fully participating in decision making. 

It stops working so hard, or diverts focus to other tasks. So unless you deliberately fight a habit, unless you find new routines, the pattern will unfold automatically.

A habit cannot be eradicated—it must, instead, be replaced. And if we keep the same cue and the same reward, a new routine can be inserted. 

But that’s not enough. For a habit to stay changed, people must believe change is possible. And most often, that belief only emerges with the help of a group.