Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

Guns, Germs, and Steel (Diamond), 
149
–51
habit contract
Bryan Harris weight loss example, 
208
–209
defined, 
208
seat belt law example, 
207
–208
Thomas Frank alarm example, 
210
habit line, 
145
–47
habit loop, 
49
–51
habits
of avoidance, 
191
–92
benefits of, 
46
–47, 
239
breaking bad habits (table), 
97
, 
137
, 
179
, 
213
in the business world, 
265
changing your mind-set about, 
130
–31
creating good habits (table), 
96
, 
136
, 
178
, 
212
downside of, 
239
–40
effect on the rest of your day, 
160
, 
162
eliminating bad habits, 
94
–95
as the embodiment of identity, 
36
–38
formation of, 
44
–46, 
145
–47
four-step process of building a habit, 
47
–53, 
259
–64
“gateway habit,” 
163
identity-based, 
31
, 
39
–40
imitation of others’ habits
the close, 
116
–18
the many, 
118
–21
the powerful, 
121
–22
importance of, 
40
–41
outcome-based, 
31
and parenting, 
267
reframing habits to highlight their benefits, 
131
–32
short-term and long-term consequences of, 
188
–90
sticking with, 
230
–31
suitability for your personality, 
221
–22
Two-Minute Rule, 
162
–67
using implementation intention to start, 
71
–72
Habits Academy, 
8
habit shaping, 
165
–67

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Habits Scorecard, 
64
–66
habit stacking
combining temptation bundling with, 
110
–11
explained, 
74
–79
habit tracking, 
196
–200, 
202
–204
handwashing in Pakistan example of a satisfying behavior change, 
184
–85
happiness
as the absence of desire, 
259
–60
and goals, 
26
relativity of, 
263
Harris, Bryan, 
208
–209
Hebb, Donald, 
143
Hebb’s Law, 
143
herring gulls and supernormal stimuli, 
101
–102
hope, 
264
Hreha, Jason, 
45
Hugo, Victor, 
169
–70
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Hugo), 
169
–70
hyperbolic discounting (time inconsistency), 
188
–89
identity
accepting blanket personal statements as facts, 
35
and behavior change, 
29
–32, 
34
–36
behavior that is at odds with the self, 
32
–33
habits as the embodiment of, 
36
–38, 
247
–49
identity-based habits, 
31
, 
39
–40
letting a single belief define you, 
247
–49
pride in a particular aspect of one’s identity, 
33
–34
reinforcing your desired identity by using the Two-Minute Rule, 
165
two-step process of changing your identity, 
39
–40
implementation intention, 
69
–72
improvements, making small, 
231
–32, 
233
, 
253
instant gratification, 
188
–93
Johnson, Magic, 
243
–44
journaling, 
165
Jung, Carl, 
62
Kamb, Steve, 
117
–18
Kubitz, Andrew, 
109
Lao Tzu, 
249
Tao Te Ching, 
249

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Latimore, Ed, 
132
Lewes, George H., 
144
long-term potentiation, 
143
Los Angeles Lakers example of reflection and review, 
242
–44
Luby, Stephen, 
183
–85
MacMullan, Jackie, 
243
–44
Martin, Steve, 
229
–30, 
231
Massachusetts General Hospital cafeteria example of environment design change, 
81
–82
Massimino, Mike, 
117
mastery, 
240
–42
Mate, Gabor, 
219
McKeown, Greg, 
165
measurements
usefulness of, 
202
–204
visual, 
195
–96
Mike (Turkish travel guide/ex-smoker), 
125
–26
Milner, Peter, 
105
mind-set shifts
from “have to” to “get to,” 
130
–31
motivation rituals, 
132
–33
reframing habits to highlight their benefits, 
131
–32
motion vs. action, 
142
–43
motivation
the Goldilocks Rule, 
231
–33
maximum motivation, 
232
rituals, 
132
–33
and taking action, 
260
–61
Murphy, Morgan, 
91
negative compounding, 
19
Nietzsche, Friedrich, 
260
nonconscious activities, 
34
n
nonscale victories, 
203
–204
novelty, 
234
Nuckols, Oswald, 
156
observations, 
260
obstacles to getting what you want, 
152
Olds, James, 
105
Olwell, Patty, 
93
1 percent changes
Career Best Effort program (CBE), 
242
–44
compounding effect of making changes, 
15
–16, 
17
–18

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Sorites Paradox, 
251
–52
operant conditioning, 
9
–10
opportunities, choosing the right
combining your skills to reduce the competition, 
225
–26
explore/exploit trade-off, 
223
–25
importance of, 
222
–23
specialization, 
226
outcomes
and behavior change, 
29
–31
outcome-based habits, 
31
pain, 
206
–207
Paper Clip Strategy of visual progress measurements, 
195
–96
parenting applications of habit strategies, 
267
Patterson, John Henry, 
171
–72
Phelps, Michael, 
217
–18, 
225
photography class example of active practice, 
141
–42, 
144
Plateau of Latent Potential, 
21
–23
pleasure
anticipating vs. experiencing, 
106
–108
image of, 
260
repeating a behavior when it’s a satisfying sensory experience, 
184
–86, 
264
Safeguard soap example, 
184
–85
Plomin, Robert, 
220
Pointing-and-Calling subway safety system, 
62
–63
positive compounding, 
19
The Power of Habit (Duhigg), 
9
, 
47
n
predictions, making
after perceiving cues, 
128
–29
the human brain as a prediction machine, 
60
–61
Premack, David, 
110
Premack’s Principle, 
110
pride
manicure example, 
33
in a particular aspect of one’s identity, 
33
–34
priming your environment to make the next action easy, 
156
–58
problem phase of a habit loop, 
51
–53
process and behavior change, 
30
–31
professionals vs. amateurs, 
236
progress, 
262
proximity’s effect on behavior, 
116
–18
quitting smoking, 
32
, 
125
–26

---

reading resources
Atomic Habits newsletter, 
257
business applications of habit strategies, 
265
parenting applications of habit strategies, 
267
recovering when habits break down, 
200
–202
reflection and review
author’s Annual Review and Integrity Report, 
245
–46
benefits of, 
246
–47
Career Best Effort program (CBE) example, 
242
–44
Chris Rock example, 
245
Eliud Kipchoge example, 
244
–45
flexibility and adaptation, 
247
–49
importance of, 
244
–45
Katie Ledecky example, 
245
reframing habits to highlight their benefits, 
131
–32
reinforcement, 
191
–93
repetition
as active practice of a new habit, 
144
automaticity, 
144
–46
to master a habit, 
143
photography class example of active practice, 
141
–42, 
144
responding to things based on emotions, 
261
–62
rewards
after sacrifice, 
262
immediate vs. delayed, 
187
–90
purpose of, 
49
reinforcement, 
191
–93
training yourself to delay gratification, 
190
–93
variable rewards, 
235
“wanting” vs. “liking,” 
106
–108, 
263
Riis, Jacob, 
21
Riley, Michael, 
60
Riley, Pat, 
242
–44
Ritty, James, 
171
–72
Robins, Lee, 
91
–92
sacrifice, 
262
satisfaction
as the completion of the habit loop, 
186
and expectations, 
262
–63
pleasurable sensory experiences, 
184
–86
2nd Law of Behavior Change (Make It Attractive)
ABC Thursday night TV lineup example, 
109
desire for approval, respect, and praise, 
121
–22
habit tracking, 
198
highly engineered versions of reality, 
104

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making the cues of bad habits unattractive, 
126
supernormal stimuli, 
102
temptation bundling, 
108
–11
Seinfeld, Jerry, 
196
–97
self-control
controlling the environment to achieve, 
92
–93
cue-induced wanting, 
93
–94
difficulty of, 
262
riding and smoking example of controlling your environment, 
93
as a short-term strategy, 
95
the senses
Safeguard soap example, 
184
–85
toothpaste example of a satisfying behavior change, 
186
vision, 
84
, 
85
–87
Wrigley chewing gum example, 
185
showing up, mastering the art of, 
163
–64, 
201
–202, 
236
Skinner, B. F., 
9
–10, 
235
n
smoking, quitting, 
32
, 
125
–26
social media, 
174
–75
social norms
Asch’s social conformity line experiments, 
118
–20
downside of going along with the group, 
120
–21
herd mentality, 
115
imitation of others’ habits
the close, 
116
–18
the many, 
118
–21
the powerful, 
121
–22
solution phase of a habit loop, 
51
–53
Sorites Paradox, 
251
–52
starting a habit, 
71
–72
Steele, Robert, 
91
Stern, Hawkins, 
83
success
accepting where your strengths are, 
218
–19
importance of feeling successful, 
190
suffering, 
262
suggestion impulse buying, 
83
supernormal stimuli, 
102
Suroweicki, James, 
154
System 1 vs. System 2 thinking, 
232
n, 
261
systems
changes to solve problems, 
25
as a cycle of continuous improvement, 
26
–27
vs. goals, 
23
–24
technology

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for automating a habit, 
173
–75
social media, 
174
–75
temptation bundling, 
108
–11
3rd Law of Behavior Change (Make It Easy)
agricultural expansion example of using the least effort, 
149
–51
energy requirements and likelihood of action, 
151
–52
friction associated with a behavior, 
152
–58
garden hose example of reducing friction, 
153
“gateway habit,” 
163
Japanese factory example of addition by subtraction, 
154
–55
making the cues of bad habits difficult, 
169
–70
onetime actions that lead to better habits, 
172
–74
Principle of Least Action, 
151
n
repetition as the key to habit formation, 
146
–47
Two-Minute Rule, 
162
–67
Twyla Tharp example of a daily ritual, 
159
–60
Thorndike, Anne, 
81
–82
Thorndike, Edward, 
43
–44
time inconsistency, 
188
–89
Tinbergen, Niko, 
101
–102
toothpaste example of a satisfying behavior change, 
186
tracking a habit
automated, 
199
combining habit stacking with habit tracking, 
200
manual, 
199
–200
usefulness of, 
202
–204
trajectory of your current path, 
18
two-step process of changing your identity, 
39
–40
Uelsmann, Jerry, 
141
–42
Ulysses pact (Ulysses contract), 
170
n
underlying motives and cravings, 
127
–28, 
130
Valley of Disappointment, 
20
, 
22
variable rewards, 
235
Vietnam War heroin addiction problem, 
91
–92
vision
impact on human behavior, 
84
obvious visual cues, 
85
–87
visual measurements, 
195
–96
weight loss
nonscale victories, 
203
–204
using a habit contract to ensure, 
208
–209

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Yerkes-Dodson law, 
232
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About the Author