Review: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

When I tell you I am OBSESSED with this book…I mean, OBSESSED. This was recommended by Carly and at first I was a little hesitant about it, since I was reading it on ebook but oh my goodness. I have one word for this book: wow. 

I am someone who has struggled with some bad habits. I’ve always struggled with my weight and it’s not something I’m proud of. So much of our lives can be controlled by habit. That glass of wine you crave at the end of the day? Habit. 

Dessert? Habit. 

Not getting off the couch and getting a work out in? Habit. 

Seems simple enough. But yet, why is it still so hard for so many people to gain control of their lives? Here’s what I learned from this book: we can’t erase bad habits, but we can change them. 

It’s a simple formula: cue, routine, reward. Once you figure out your cues, you can change the routine and end up with the same reward. For example: you walk in the door after a long day, put your bags down (cue), and pour a cold glass of wine (routine). Ah, refreshing and relaxing. Your day is done! (Reward)

But that glass of wine can turn into another glass of wine. And believe me, I love my wine, but it’s not the best thing for us. So let’s try to rewrite the routine. 

Walk in, put your bags down, pour a cold seltzer with a lemon wedge. Ah, relief. You’re day is done! 

It sounds simple, and it is! But what makes it hard is that we have to continually work at rewriting our routines based on our cues and desired rewards. 

I have already been trying to implement these ideas at home and I’m going to continue sharing updates with you! I’m really excited for a little more accountability. But more on that in another post. 

Not only is this book a fantastic piece of “self help”, in that the reader can recognize how to transform their habits, but it’s a fascinating study on marketing and history. For example, the act of brushing one’s teeth wasn’t always a habit in every household. Marketing teams for toothpaste companies knew that they had to rewrite the routines of families in order to make toothpaste a household necessity. 

Did you know there is no rhyme or reason for toothpaste to suds up or be minty?! It doesn’t make your teeth any cleaner. But the reward we receive is that fresh, clean feeling from the flavor and bubbles. Cue: Wake Up, gross morning breath. Routine: Brush teeth. Reward: Minty fresh, tingly clean mouth. Mind. Blown. 

Charles Duhigg goes through all different pieces of history and how habits, both large and small, contributed to those moments. Most especially, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s in the United States. Read the book purely for this chapter, because it moved me deeply. 

I can’t recommend this book enough, especially if you struggle with a habit you’ve been wanting to change. Hope you’re excited to see how I implement The Power of Habit into my daily life! 

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