Stepping out of old habits and into new ones can be hard. Understanding how habits are formed and being aware of them is the first step in making change. Research tells us that about 45% of what we do on a daily basis is habit driven. In essence, habits, which are responses to specific triggers that are semi-automated, form the foundation for a tremendous chunk of our day-to-day behavior.
The roots of habits—both good and bad—run deep. According to experts in behavioral change and habit formation, identifying triggers that drive our habits is the key to making a successful change. It is thought that all habits are created to produce a reward, and there are three main parts to a feedback loop: First, a cue or trigger occurs that makes us anticipate a coming reward. Next, we have a routine that has been automated to obtain the reward. Finally, we obtain the reward. According to BJ Fogg, successful behavior change requires Motivation to change, the Ability to make the change, and the understanding of the Triggers that either promote or derail the formation of a new habit.
