The 2nd Law – Make It Attractive
We have reached the halfway point in Atomic Habits (Still need a copy? Get it on Amazon!) and it just keeps getting better. Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve read so far:
Week 1 - Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement, and your systems are more important than your goals.
Week 2 -You are what you repeatedly do. Your actions determine your identity and your identity determines your actions.
Week 3 - You have to make your habits obvious. This can be with predetermined routines and changes to your environment.
The next Law of Behavior Change is: Make It Attractive. When I first read that, I had so many questions. What does that even mean? Why is that important? How do you go about doing that? As it turns out, those are good questions to ask because all three of them are answered in Chapters 8-10.
The Dopamine-Driven Feedback Loop
Chapter 8 is all about dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a substantial role in the formation of habits and our daily actions. Dopamine is generally thought of as the body’s way of rewarding a behavior.
Without rehashing all of the science and details from the chapter, the key takeaway is that dopamine is not only released when you experience a reward or accomplishment, it is actually released in the same way when you simply anticipate the reward or accomplishment.
What does this mean for us? This tells us that we can use dopamine to our advantage because as dopamine rises, so does your motivation to act. In fact, there are way more connections in the brain that are associated with wanting than liking. Meaning your brain is controlled more by what you want (what you anticipate), then what you like (what you experience).
That is super interesting to me because I have experienced this multiple times. Looking forward to a particular event, achievement, or experience was more enjoyable than the actual experience itself. It was almost like winning the championship, reaching the goal, or doing the thing was a letdown compared to how I had built it up in my head.
That’s not to say these were unworthy goals or meaningless accomplishments, instead it speaks to the science that our brains are wired to be forward looking. There is an emphasis on what’s to come and how to get there. Without this overemphasis on future outcomes, our desire in the present moment can wane.
Think about the power of goal setting or vision boards. What is the purpose of these exercises? Scientifically, it is to release dopamine. In reality, that dopamine release in anticipation of what’s to come gets you excited and motivated to chase after that desired future state.
The Habits We Choose
We need to be extremely intentional about the habits we choose for our lives. As we have already learned, you are what you repeatedly do and what you repeatedly do is who you are. Therefore, be thoughtful about what you repeatedly do.
If we aren’t careful, our habits will look a heck of a lot like everyone else’s.
We often imitate the habits of three groups of people: The Close, The Many, The Powerful.
The Close
The closer we are to someone, the more likely we are to consciously or unconsciously mimic their behaviors. It’s like an invisible peer pressure that pulls you in the direction of those nearest to you. An easy example would be, Have you ever dated a fitness fanatic? I bet you started going to the gym and eating more kale. Think Ann Perkins dating Chris Traeger.
You take on traits and habits of those closest to you.
Key Takeaway – Your closest relationships should be with people going in the direction you want to go.
The Many
Herd mentality is well documented and very real. When are not sure how to act, we look to the group for guidance. In fact, sometimes even when we know how to act, but we will adjust our behavior in order to fit in with the larger group. This is a self-preservation tactic because going against the culture is hard and usually unpopular. Therefore, our habits usually look very similar to everyone else around us.
Key Takeaway – Either find a community that is going the direction you want to go or get really comfortable going against the cultural current.
The Powerful
Our intrinsic desire for success leads us to copy the habits of powerful people. Often, after we successfully fit in and gain acceptance to The Many, we then look to stand out and become powerful. This is an interesting position because the habits of The Powerful are easy to understand but hard to maintain.
Take The Rock for example. The guy sleeps about 4 hours per night, wakes up at 4:00 AM, and works out for 2-3 hours every day. Those are foundational habits of his that he attributes much of his success to. So why don’t more people follow suit? It’s hard and it does not look like The Close or The Many.
Key Takeaway – The Powerful exhibit a level of discipline and devotion to habits that is uncommon and that is what separates them from The Many.
Cravings and Predictions
Habits are driven by cravings. Cravings are driven by motives. Therefore, habits are driven by motives. What does that all mean?
Well, take cigarettes for example. Smokers crave cigarettes. The motive for smoking is generally to relax. Therefore, people smoke to relax. So, it’s not really that people crave tobacco smoke in their lungs, instead they are motivated by the outcome or the result associated with smoking the cigarette, which is relaxation.
Every action we make on a daily basis, no matter how small, is triggered by a desire to feel different than we currently do. Our underlying motive to do anything is to feel different. "The gap between your current state and desired state provides a reason to act" (pg. 129). If that gaps gets wide enough and your brain predicts that an action would get your closer to your desired state, then you generally act.
If we understand the motives behind our habits, it can help us to identify and address bad habits while simultaneously creating better ones. I intentionally said better habits because:
“Your current habits are not necessarily the best way to solve the problems you face; they are just the methods you learned to use.” (pg. 128)
Think about how true that is with the following example.
You begin to feel hungry. Your desired state is to feel full and satisfied. Your brain predicts you would feel full and satisfied if you ate a cheeseburger. Therefore, you eat a cheeseburger. You’ve solved your problem. But was that the best solution to the problem you faced? Depending on your goals, maybe or maybe not. If your goal is to be healthier, lose 10 pounds, or lower your cholesterol, the cheeseburger was probably not the best solution to the problem of being hungry.
My takeaway – Making your desired habits attractive has much to do with making the decision ahead of time so it is easy in the moment. Attractive and easy are often synonymous when it comes to our actions. The most attractive choice is often the path of least mental resistance.
Therefore, if we can decide our responses to cravings in advance, then our brain’s prediction formula is already solved. We need to remind ourselves of our true motives, our ‘why’ behind anything we are doing. No one wants to get up at 4:00 AM like The Rock but if their underlying motivations are clear, the decision to get up when the alarm goes off becomes that much easier.
Final Takeaway
Positive habits are not always easy. But, if you make the outcome attractive, the habit itself becomes more attractive and desirable to execute. When you combine that with preset habit stacks, you can use the Dopamine-Driven Feedback Loop to your advantage. Once you get that feedback loop working in your favor, the sky’s the limit.
Warning:
To anyone attempting to make these adjustments for the first time, be cognizant of the people around you. This may be uncomfortable for The Close or The Many, especially if you are attempting to copy habits of The Powerful. Be humble and graceful with anyone that does not understand what you are doing.
These concepts are foreign to most and the idea of becoming Better Every Day can be unsettling for people that don’t have the same desire.
This process of habit formation will expose much about you and your relationships. Be patient with yourself and those around you.
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