Habit Change 2.0

HABIT CHANGE 2.0

The Myth of Habit Change 1.0: It’s all about willpower and self regulation.  

This traditional model grounded in willpower, what I call Habit Change 1.0, has failed fantastically. It has, however, it has been successful creating epidemic levels of needless shame and self-blame! And where it has worked for a small subset of people, an even smaller minority enjoys lasting change.

This may in part be explained by emerging evidence to suggest willpower is a genetic predisposition for just a small percentage of the population. (To be fair, I should also mention there is some recent evidence suggesting we can develop our willpower reserve but this is very new and we have little evidence for how much the average person can influence their willpower levels!)

The Willpower Trap

The willpower trap goes beyond the fallacy of people-at-large having this thing called willpower. In the Hunger Habit, Dr. Judson Brewer brings our attention to four well established reasons to avoid a willpower centric strategy

"...

1. What you can’t have, you want more of. (Denial increases desire.) 

2. What you resist persists. (Don’t think of a white bear.) 

3. Failure → backsliding. (The abstinence violation effect. F*ck it.) 

4. Willpower is not even part of habit change strategies (The OFC focuses on how rewarding or unrewarding a behavior is.)” (Brewer, J., The Hunger Habit, 2024, p. 39)"

*The OFC (orbitofrontal cortex) assigns the reward hierarchy for behaviors. Influencing this reward hierarchy is at the core of Habit Change 2.0 where we want to enlist the brain and all its power instead of fighting our brain.

Bottom line: relying on willpower sets the stage for doing battle with our brain, a battle that may never end! Habit Change 2.0 does the opposite - it seeks to enlist and leverage the power of our brain!

Habit Change 2.0: Leverage the power of your brain!

Habit Change 2.0 integrates insight from decades of evidence from modern science with the millennia of ancient wisdom. It has been helped by new tools of neuroscience like fMRI and EEGs show us where our brain lights up and change with different experiences. Emerging from these insights are two of the most impactful, complementary strategies I've seen in decades: the application of mindfulness and stacking small step-wise habits to rewire the brain.

Below is an introduction to the basics based primarily on insight from three of our most trusted experts:  

Dr. Judson Brewer, MD, PhD - Practicing psychiatrist, associate professor, neuroscientist, author; recognized for behavior, habit change, with sub-specialty in the habits of anxiety and addiction; early visionary and leader in developing mindfulness centric strategies for breaking habits.

James Clear, Author - Global best selling author of Atomic Habits; recognized for ability to effectively communicate strategies for habit change, tiny habits, continuous improvement, and decision making.

B.J. Fogg, PhD  - Researcher, author, founder of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab; Behavior design models and methods, and tiny habits.

Basics 1: Foundational Science:  

Our brain is an efficiency seeking, habit making machine. It creates habits to free our attention and energy so we (it) can focus on other demands, threats, or opportunities. 

The three primary ingredients for creating and prioritizing these habits are:

• Cues/Triggers

• Behaviors triggered by the cue, and

• Rewards (Results) generated by the behavior.

Cue/Trigger → Behavior → Reward/Result —> Habit  (Higher ranking in Reward Hierarchy)

Basics 2: The Brain's Reward Hierarchy

Through self-directed neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to change and adapt due to experience) we rewire the brain's habits by influencing the OFC's reward hierarchy. We do this through curiosity and awareness which begins by noting each component of our habit loops: the cue/trigger, the specific of the behavior, and the results/reward associated with the behavior.

When the OFC receives new information through noting, it will begin to adjust the reward value of a behavior up or down within the reward hierarchy. Regular repetition is required to solidify and influence the strength of the Reward/Result value assigned to the behavior - positive or negative. Some behaviors may get adjusted faster than others.

The brain uses the reward hierarchy to prioritize actions. Once well reinforced, this can become a new trait - a behavior that is intrinsic to your character, to who you are.

Our mission: get the OFC to re-order the reward hierarchy!

A REWARDS PARADOX
Repeated behaviors with negative results - like those creating anxiety - can become so familiar they become a comfort zone. Despite the negative feelings from the behavior, the OFC treats the familiar comfort zone as rewarding given it ! 
Brewer pairs the word Result with Reward to help us deal with this paradox when mapping our habit loops.

Note Cue / Trigger Desire or Aversion, Craving	Note Behavior Do / Avoid Doing	Note Reward / Result +/- , Celebration
Get curious and note details about your cue/trigger: Emotion, state of mind, environment, situation.	Clearly identify the behavior associated with the cue/trigger - action or no action (ex. procrastination)	Explicitly note the effects of the behavior. Get your micro-dopamine hit for any step towards your goal - especially the small ones that don't initially have their own intrinsic reward.
Example: Happy or sad, angry; frustrated, bored, restless; a place - pub, staff room, traffic; a stressful meeting at work or confrontation with family member.	Example: A walk around the block (positive) or staying up late to binge-watch Netflix while grazing on food (habit wish to break!) or avoiding a work project	Example: Celebrate flossing one tooth or the act of noting; recognize the good feeling of mental clarity OR note the result of an energy spike then crash, brain fog.

*Recognizing tiny steps through intentional celebration gives the brain a micro-dopamine hit which tells the OFC this is something positive - even if it has yet to deliver any positive change results. This is why BJ Fogg tells us to always intentionally celebrate tiny steps.

Noting positive steps has a similar function to Fogg's celebration step. It's all about explicit telling your brain's OFC what to make of a behavior.

I intentionally pick small habits to change once my noting practice helps me understand my triggers. I am careful not to judge myself when I do not follow through, but always celebrate when I do follow through! This includes celebrating the simple step of noting itself! As long as I'm building the practice of noting, I know I am imprinting a foundation for building new traits that will serve me throughout this game of life!

Layer 3:  Repeatability (Doability) for Stacking Small Steps

Establishing a new trait requires we pick a behavior that is highly doable and repeatable: that one step you can do without having to rely on high motivation states or deep willpower reserves! Trust in the process and before you know it, you will be stacking up to big changes. More time. More frequency. More steps on the path. More new behaviors. Focus on celebrating the doable step in that moment, not some end goal!

Small Step Example 1 (A starting point with Brewer's Habit Loop Mapping):  

Taking a minute to note a behavior like eating a donut or staying up late and binge eating until going to sleep! What are the cues or triggers and results? Is there a better option to consider in the future? No judgement, just noting: Cue/Trigger --> Behavior --> Result

Small Step Example 2 (A tiny habit example from BJ Fogg):  Commit to flossing just one tooth (tiny step) after brushing your teeth (cue/trigger), then give yourself a high-five (reward/celebration) for being one step closer to flossing all your teeth. (It worked for me! I no longer do the walk-of-shame when I go for my dental cleanings!)

Final Notes

My wish for you: give yourself permission to relax and trust in the process. Say goodbye to old strategies that rely on unrealistic deep reserves of willpower and fickle high motivation states! Celebrate the small steps that create a foundation for your future.

Explore our Habits Portal for downloadable Notes, Worksheets, and links to our expert resources.

Wishing you well on your path, 

Janice