Behavior Change Pathway

Anyone who has attempted to change behavior knows how difficult it is. Habits help our brains save energy and run more efficiently. As much as two thirds of our daily actions can be habitual! But automatic responses that develop are not always in our best interest, and habits are powerful so changing them is not easy. Much is covered in Make Good Habits Easy, and Bad Habits Hard, Micro-habits, and Behavioral Economics and Weight Loss. Still more knowledge can be gained with TED talks by speakers who are also authors at the Behavior Change Pathway at Pinterest and listed below.

Behavior Change Models

The Habit Loop is a cycle of automatic behavior. Adjust the loop to change behavior.

• Charles Duhigg describes a 3 part habit loop: CAR Cue – Craving (Routine) – Action – Reward. He talks about this in a video at Big Think.
• Irrational Labs has a 3 B framework:
  • Behavior – identify
  • Barriers – add or reduce friction
  • Benefits – amplify
• James Clear outlines a 4 step habit loop:
  1. Cue: The trigger that initiates a habit.
  2. Craving: The desire to act on the cue.
  3. Response: The action you take.
  4. Reward: The benefit you gain, which reinforces the habit and makes you likely to repeat it.

A great guide from readingraphics.com: How to Make a Habit Stick. Short video What Happens in Your Brain When You Try to Change a Habit

A 6 step change model from VeryWellMind (another article from Psychology Today)

1. Precontemplation: Ignoring or denying the problem.
2. Contemplation: Weighing the pros and cons of making a change.
3. Preparation: Deciding on a plan for change.
4. Action: Taking steps toward the goal.
5. Maintenance: Committing to the change long-term.
6. Relapse: Facing setbacks and deciding whether to continue.

Books and TED talks

Find links to the TED talks below (plus more) at the Behavior Change Pathway at Pinterest. Also see the Overcoming Obstacles Pathway. Amazon affiliate links provide a small commission that helps to support the Daily PlanIt.

Act to hack habits:

• Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely, TED talk How to change your behavior for the better
• Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, TED talk The Power of Habit
• Willpower by Roy Baumeister, TED talk What makes us human?
• Tiny Habits by B.J. Fogg, TED talk Forget big change, Start with a Tiny Habit
• How a Little Becomes a Lot by Eric Zimmer, TED talk The battle of changing your behavior
• How to Change by Katy Milkman, TED talk Why we fail and how to stand up afterwards
• The Power of Fifty Bits by Bob Nease, TED talk How to trick yourself into good behavior

Begin to examine beliefs (especially limiting beliefs) [The Power of Belief]:

• Primed by Rachel Wei, TED talk Overcoming limiting beliefs
• Look Again by Tali Sharot, TED talk How to motivate yourself to change your behavior
• Redesigning You by Kim Foster, TED talk How to actually change your habits
• The Scout Mindset by Julia Galef, TED talk Why you think you’re right – even if you’re wrong
• Chris Lonsdale, TED talk Breaking the chains of belief
• Alison Ledgerwood, TED talk A simple trick to improve positive thinking

Change mindset, check self-talk, and cease self-sabotage.

Develop competence – practice doing the difficult.

Explore articles: https://positivepsychology.com/behavior-change/ 

Find more books and TED talks at TED talk book discussion.

About dailyplanit

I seek to create order from the chaos of complex information. Join me at the Daily PlanIt to gain insights, inspiration, and information to increase skills for a better life. I unlock the power of teaching reading with phonics in the pursuit of literacy at www.phonicspow.com. In my spare time I explore books and movies, often choosing titles available on both screen and page.