Real Change

Most self-improvement advice treats our biggest ambitions as problems of habit formation. But a Habit is automatic by definition. If an activity requires conscious thought, attention, and willpower, it isn’t a Habit. Writing a book, mastering a skill, and building a business all demand exactly that kind of effort.

This is the central argument of Real Change: Moving Beyond Habits to Achieve Lasting Transformation: most of the changes we care about are problems of goal-directed behavior, not habit formation. They require us to choose effective actions, pursue them deliberately, and adjust as we learn. Our fixation on Habits has directed our attention away from this work.

I call these deliberate, effortful activities Practices. The question is not how to make them automatic. It is which Practices will move you toward your goal, and how to sustain the effort they demand.

Before you ask how to stick with a behavior, ask whether it deserves your effort. You can spend years getting better at something that does little to improve your life. Meaningful change starts with choosing actions that can make a real difference to your goal and fit your strengths and circumstances. Then you can build the conditions that help you keep going.

From Habits to Practices

The book sets out a four-stage path:

1. Energy Optimization. Establish the energy and capacity that deliberate change requires.
2. Habit Disruption. Identify and interrupt routines that no longer serve your goals.
3. Habit Trading. Replace an unwanted habit with a better behavior that meets the same underlying need.
4. Practices. Select meaningful activities that fit you, make room for them, and sustain the effort they require.

The aim is to make your effort count. You can become more consistent at a behavior and still be pursuing the wrong route to your goal. Choosing the right Practice gives that consistency a purpose.

Earlier book

I also co-authored Hacking Human Nature for Good: A Practical Guide to Changing Human Behavior (2014) with Dan Ariely and Kristen Berman. You can find more of my essays and research on the Writing page.