2015 habits seminar - amazon s3 · 2015 habits seminar james clear. agenda 1. what always works 2....

2015 Habits SeminarJames Clear

Agenda

1. What Always Works

2. What’s Working Now

3. What to Avoid

4. Questions and (Attempted) Answers

Note: We will take a few 5-minute breaks throughout the seminar.

The 5 Barriers

At the end of each session...

1. Lack of Time and Too Many Commitments

2. Inconsistency With Taking Action

3. Procrastination and Laziness

4. Self-Doubt and Lack of Confidence

5. Lack of Focus

Take What Works for You, Leave the Rest

It doesn’t matter where you start,

only that you get started.

If you wait for perfect conditions,

then you’ll never get anything done.

Thanks

1. Leo Babauta

2. BJ Fogg

3. Nir Eyal

4. Dan Pardi

5. Scott Adams

6. All the readers

What Always WorksSession 1

How Long Does It Take?Repetitions and Habit Automaticity

Building a New Habit

On average, it takes 66 days to build a new habit.

The range can be anywhere from three weeks to eight months.

Habit Automaticity

How Habits StickWhy Some Patterns Stick and Others Fail

Habit Models

1. Lewin’s Equation

2. Operant Conditioning by B.F. Skinner

3. Tiny Habits Model by BJ Fogg

4. The Habit Loop from Charles Duhigg

5. Hook Model by Nir Eyal

6. Loop Model by Dan Pardi

Pavlov > Watson > Skinner

Bottom Line: We Get Conditioned

Habit TriggersHot vs. Cold Triggers

Cold Triggers vs. Hot Triggers

● Triggers are the cues that prompt behavior.

● A hot trigger can be acted upon right now.

Hot Triggers

“Put hot triggers in the path of motivated people.”

-BJ Fogg

Trigger T-Chart Exercise

1. In Column 1, list all the things that you do each day without fail.

a. e.g. Brush your teeth, put your shoes on, sit down for lunch, get into bed, etc.

2. In column 2, list all the things that happen to you each day

without fail.

a. e.g. Traffic light turns green, commercial comes on, sun rises, sun sets, etc.

3. Finally, select the trigger that best fits your new habit (i.e. the

“hot” trigger).

SimplicityWhat is the Essence of Your New Habit?

Start Small

1. Start with a habit that is incredibly easy for you.

2. Increase your habit, but in a very small way.

3. Keep it easy. Break the habit down as needed.

Tiny Habits program by BJ Fogg at tinyhabits.com

Lesson in a Nutshell

“Make it so easy you can’t say no.”

—Leo Babauta

Increase Your Success Rate by 3x

Implementation Intentions

The Power of Intention

“During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of

vigorous exercise on [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE].”


If something is important to you, then schedule it.

Pick a date. Choose a place.

Give your goals a time and a space to live.

MassachusettsGeneral Hospital

Choice Architecture

Lewin’s Equation


I have never seen a person consistently stick to positive habits

in a negative environment.

Parole Board JudgesDecision Fatigue


Your willpower is like a muscle.

And similar to the muscles in your body,

willpower can get fatigued when

you use it over and over again.

Southwest AirlinesConsistency

Do Things You Can Sustain


Rome wasn’t built in a day,

but they were laying bricks every hour.

You don’t have to build everything you want today,

just lay a brick.

The Seinfeld Strategy“Don’t break the chain.”


New goals don’t deliver new results.

New lifestyles do.

The 5 Barriers





5. Lack of Focus

A Quick Favor

If you have enjoyed this seminar,

please send a tweet to @james_clear

and tell me what you loved about the talk.

What’s Working NowSession 2

Technology in Our Lives

● 65% of Americans sleep with their phone next to or on their bed.

(Pew Research Center)

● 70% of emails interrupt recipients within 6 seconds of arriving.

(Journal of Information Management)

● On average, it takes 64 seconds to resume work after an email

interruption. (Journal of Information Management)

● Roughly half of daily interruptions are self-interruptions.

(University of California, Irvine)

The Story of Clyde Beatty

Image Source: Harvard Library

The Hemingwrite

Digital Distraction Eliminators

1. Use Adblock Plus to block all ads online.



2. Use Self-Control or Freedom to block websites.




3. Use News Feed Eradicator to block FB posts.





4. Write and work in full screen mode (use multiple desktops).






5. Use Optional filter for email. (“Unsubscribe” = optional.)







6. Phone on silent / vibrate and in another room.








7. Remove apps from home screen, no push notifications or badges.








7. Remove apps from home screen, no push notifications or badges.

8. Remove all icons from desktop.

Bonus Distraction Eliminators

1. Set up a second account on your computer that doesn’t have email

set up, no apps or browsers installed, etc.

2. Set an alarm clock for each work period (the “Pomodoro Method”)

3. Get an old school alarm clock and leave your phone in another

room when you sleep.

4. Use an outlet timer to automatically cut off devices.


Learning to separate the signal from the noise

is a crucial skill in our current world.

You don't need productivity tips if you simply

eliminate the unnecessary wastes of time.

Keystone Habits

● A Keystone Habit is a routine or ritual that naturally pulls the rest

of your life in line. It creates a cascade of good behavior.

● Examples: weightlifting, meditation, visualization

The Eisenhower BoxDownload at jamesclear.com/ebox

http://jamesclear.com/ebox


Busy doesn’t equal important and urgent isn’t the same as necessary.

Filter out the fluff and focus on what matters.

The 5 Barriers





5. Lack of Focus

What to AvoidSession 3

Identity-Based Habits


Every action is a vote for the

type of person you want to become.

How to Break a Bad Habit

● Remember the Habit Loop:

○ cue, routine, reward (stimulus, behavior, consequence)

● Bad habits are replaced, not eliminated.

Strategies

● Choose a substitute habit that provides a similar benefit.

Strategies


● Cut out as many triggers as possible.

Strategies



● Return to the “old you.” You don’t need to become someone new.

Strategies



● Return to the “old you.” You don’t need to become someone new.

● Plan for failure. (If-Then conditions.)


“The best way to improve your self-control

is to see how and why you lose control.”

-Kelly McGonigal

The 5 Barriers





5. Lack of Focus

Take What Works for You, Leave the Rest

It doesn’t matter where you start,

only that you get started.

If you wait for perfect conditions,

then you’ll never get anything done.

A Quick Favor

If you have enjoyed this seminar,

please send a tweet to @james_clear

and tell me what you loved about the talk.

Questions and AnswersSession 4

THE ENDJamesClear.com

2015 habits seminar - amazon s3 · 2015 habits seminar james clear. agenda 1. what always works 2....

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