The process in which the brain converts a sequence of actions into an automatic routine is known as ‘chunking,’ and it’s at the root of how habits form.

...because the brain is constantly looking for ways to save effort. 

It will try to make almost any routine into a habit, because habits allow our minds to ramp down more often. This effort-saving instinct is a huge advantage. 

• 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 particu...

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 h...