October 4, 2024 • 9 mins
🎧 Episode136: The Science of Habit Formation: Rewiring Your Brain for Success
In this episode of Evoke Greatness, Sonnie delves into the fascinating world of habit formation and neuroplasticity. Drawing from recent scientific studies, she explores how understanding the science behind our habits can lead to profound personal transformation and success.
Sonnie shares valuable insights on:
- The neuroscience behind habit formation and the "habit loop"
- The concept of neuroplasticity and its role in personal growth
- Practical strategies for forming new habits and breaking old ones
- The power of consistency and small actions in creating lasting change
🔑 Key takeaways:
- About 40% of our daily actions are habits, not conscious decisions
- Habits are formed through a three-step loop: cue, routine, and reward
- Our brains can be rewired to form new, positive habits through neuroplasticity
- Starting with tiny habits significantly increases chances of success
- It takes an average of 66 days for a new habit to become automatic
- Modifying your environment can make adopting new habits easier
- Celebrating small wins reinforces new neural pathways
💡 Quotes to remember: "Neurons that fire together, wire together." - Donald Hebb
"Greatness is not just a destination, it's a habit."
📚 Resources:
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (study on daily habits)
- Research by Dr. Ann Graybiel, neuroscientist at MIT
- British Journal of Health Psychology (study on implementation intentions)
- European Journal of Social Psychology (study on habit formation time)
- Environment and Behavior (study on environmental influence on habits)
A rising tide raises all ships, and I invite you along on this journey to Evoke Greatness!
Check out my website: www.evokegreatness.com
Follow me on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnie-linebarger-899b9a52/
https://www.instagram.com/evoke.greatness/
https://www.tiktok.com/@evoke.greatness
http://www.youtube.com/@evokegreatness
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to Evoke Greatness.
We are officially entering yearthree of this podcast and I am
filled with so much gratitudefor each and every one of you
who've joined me on thisincredible journey of growth and
self-discovery.
I'm Sunny, your host and fellowtraveler on this path of
personal evolution.
This podcast is a sanctuary forthe curious, the ambitious and
(00:28):
the introspective.
It's for those of you who, likeme, are captivated by the
champion mindset and driven byan insatiable hunger for growth
and knowledge.
Whether you're just beginningyour journey or you're well
along your path, you're going tofind stories here that resonate
with your experiences andaspirations.
Over the last two years, we'veshared countless stories of
triumph and challenge, ofresilience and transformation.
(00:51):
We've laughed, we've reflectedand we've grown together.
And as we've evolved, so toohas this podcast.
Remember, no matter whatchapter you're on in your own
story, you belong here.
This community we've builttogether is a place of support,
inspiration and shared growth.
Where intention goes, energyflows, and the energy you bring
(01:13):
to this space elevates us all.
So, whether you're listeningwhile commuting, working out or
enjoying your morning coffee,perhaps from one of those
motivational mugs I'm so fond of, know that you're a part of
something special.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for your curiosity,your openness and your
commitment to personal growth.
As we embark on year three, Iinvite you to lean in, to listen
(01:36):
deeply and to let these storiesresonate with your soul.
I believe that a rising tideraises all ships, and I invite
you along in this journey toevoke greatness.
(01:57):
Welcome back to another episodeof Evoke Greatness.
I'm your host, sunny, and todaywe're digging into a topic that
has the power to transform yourlife, and that is the science
of habit formation and rewiringyour brain for success.
I am a total nerd when it comesto these things from a
psychological perspective, andso I've been reading through a
(02:18):
number of different studiesrecently, and it got me on this
topic.
We all have habits, right, somethat serve us really well and
others that don't serve usreally well, and, really
honestly, they're a hindrance.
They hold us back.
But have you ever wondered whyis it so hard to break bad
habits?
Or, conversely, why is it sohard to form new, positive ones?
(02:39):
Well, today I want to go overexploring the fascinating
neuroscience behind habits andthen walk through some practical
strategies to rewire your brainfor success.
So let's start with aninteresting fact.
According to the researchpublished in the Journal of
Personality and SocialPsychology, about 40% of our
daily actions are habits, notconscious decisions.
(03:03):
Yes, you heard me right Nearlyhalf of what you do every day
you were actually doing onautopilot.
Now imagine the impact on yourlife if you could optimize those
habits for success.
To understand how we change ourhabits, we almost have to back
up a little bit and understandhow they're formed in our brains
in the first place.
Dr Anne Graybill, aneuroscientist at MIT,
(03:26):
discovered that habits arecreated through a three-step
loop cue, routine, reward.
This is what was coined as thehabit loop, and the habit loop
is encoded in our basal ganglia,a part of our brain that's
involved in pattern formationand motivation.
So when we repeat a behavioroften enough, our brains
(03:48):
actually create neural pathwaysthat make this behavior
automatic.
It's like your brain iscreating a shortcut, making it
easier and more efficient toperform the same action in the
future, and then this is whyhabits can be so hard to break.
Your brain has literallyrewired itself to make the
behavior feel natural andeffortless.
(04:08):
There's good news to this,though, because just as your
brain can form these habits, itcan also be rewired to form new,
positive habits.
This ability of our brains tochange and adapt is called
neuroplasticity, and it's thekey to transforming our habits
and ultimately making a wholeshift in our lives.
So how do we harness the powerof neuroplasticity to form
(04:29):
better habits?
Well, let's break it down into afew steps.
The first step is identifyingthat habit loop.
You have to be able to payclose enough attention to
recognize the cue that triggersyour habit, and then the routine
that you follow, and then thereward you receive.
That's that habit loop right.
So, for example, if you'refeeling stressed, that's the cue
(04:52):
that may lead you to pick upyour phone and go start
scrolling social media.
That's the cue that may leadyou to pick up your phone and go
start scrolling social media.
That's the routine.
And then what does that do?
That provides a temporarydistraction for you.
A reward that's your dopaminehit.
So you have to start small.
Research from the University ofCalifornia has shown that
starting with tiny habitsincreases your chance of success
(05:15):
.
So, instead of aiming tomeditate for an hour or run five
miles or do 50 push-ups, right,instead of that, start with
just one minute of meditation aday.
Start with just five push-ups aday.
Start with just walking forfive minutes.
And then you got to useimplementation intentions.
(05:38):
A study in the British Journalof Health Psychology found that
people who used implementationintentions which is the I will
do this when this happens right,I will do X when Y happens
People who do that were far morelikely to stick to their goals.
So, for example, when I finishbreakfast, I'm going to meditate
for one minute.
(05:58):
When I finish breakfast, I'mgoing to do five push-ups.
When I finish breakfast, I'mgoing to go for a five-minute
walk.
You have to leverage yourenvironment.
There was another studypublished in Environment and
Behavior that showed that oursurroundings significantly
influence our habits.
So think about this Make yourdesired habit easier by
(06:19):
modifying your environment.
You want to start reading more.
Keep a book on your nightstandright.
Do something to where yourenvironment is actually being
influenced.
If you want to read more, makeit that much more easy and
convenient to pick up that book.
And then this is the hard partPractice consistency.
Consistency is key in formingnew neural pathways.
(06:40):
A study in the European Journalof Social Psychology found that
it takes an average of 66 daysfor a new habit to become
automatic.
You have to remember tocelebrate those small wins.
Every time you successfullyperform your new habit, your
brain releases dopamine, givesyou that feel-good chemical, and
it reinforces the neuralpathway.
(07:00):
So acknowledge and celebrateyour progress, regardless of how
small it is.
Now I want you to think about ahabit that you've been trying to
change, or a new one that maybeyou're trying to form or put
into your routine.
Maybe it's exercising regularly, maybe it's reading more, maybe
it's practicing mindfulness.
With the science-backedstrategies that we've talked
(07:20):
through, you have the power torewire your brain and make that
habit a reality.
So remember, change does nothappen overnight.
It's a process and it requirespatience and persistence.
But armed with the knowledge ofhow your brain works and these
practical strategies, you'realready ahead of the game.
(07:42):
So as we wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with a
powerful quote fromneuropsychologist Donald Hebb.
You may have heard it before,and it goes like this neurons
that fire together wire together.
Every time you practice yournew habit, you're strengthening
those neural connections, makingit easier and more natural.
Every single time, you have theability to shape your own brain
(08:05):
.
Think about it like a highway.
You are literally creating anew highway by retraining it.
So go out there, be mindful ofyour habits.
Be observant of your behaviorsand your routines and what's
driving them.
Go through that habit loop andthen start rewiring your brain
(08:25):
for the success that you deserve.
Don't forget greatness is notjust a destination, it's a habit
.
Thank you so much for listeningand for being here on this
journey with me.
I hope you'll stick around.
If you liked this episode, itwould mean the world for me if
you would rate and review thepodcast or share it with someone
(08:47):
you know.
Many need to hear this message.
I love to hear from you all andwant you to know that you can
leave me a voicemail directly.
If you go to my website,evokegreatnesscom, and go to the
Contact Me tab, you'll just hitthe big old orange button and
record your message.
I love the feedback andcomments that I've been getting,
so please keep them coming.
I'll leave you with the wisewords of author Robin Sharma
(09:09):
Greatness comes by doing a fewsmall and smart things each and
every day.
It comes from taking littlesteps consistently.
It comes from making a fewsmall chips against everything
in your professional andpersonal life that is ordinary,
so that a day eventually arriveswhen all that's left is the
extraordinary.
Welcome to Evoke Greatness.
We are officially entering yearthree of this podcast and I am
filled with so much gratitudefor each and every one of you
who've joined me on thisincredible journey of growth and
self-discovery.
I'm Sunny, your host and fellowtraveler on this path of
personal evolution.
This podcast is a sanctuary forthe curious, the ambitious and
(00:28):
the introspective.
It's for those of you who, likeme, are captivated by the
champion mindset and driven byan insatiable hunger for growth
and knowledge.
Whether you're just beginningyour journey or you're well
along your path, you're going tofind stories here that resonate
with your experiences andaspirations.
Over the last two years, we'veshared countless stories of
triumph and challenge, ofresilience and transformation.
(00:51):
We've laughed, we've reflectedand we've grown together.
And as we've evolved, so toohas this podcast.
Remember, no matter whatchapter you're on in your own
story, you belong here.
This community we've builttogether is a place of support,
inspiration and shared growth.
Where intention goes, energyflows, and the energy you bring
(01:13):
to this space elevates us all.
So, whether you're listeningwhile commuting, working out or
enjoying your morning coffee,perhaps from one of those
motivational mugs I'm so fond of, know that you're a part of
something special.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for your curiosity,your openness and your
commitment to personal growth.
As we embark on year three, Iinvite you to lean in, to listen
(01:36):
deeply and to let these storiesresonate with your soul.
I believe that a rising tideraises all ships, and I invite
you along in this journey toevoke greatness.
(01:57):
Welcome back to another episodeof Evoke Greatness.
I'm your host, sunny, and todaywe're digging into a topic that
has the power to transform yourlife, and that is the science
of habit formation and rewiringyour brain for success.
I am a total nerd when it comesto these things from a
psychological perspective, andso I've been reading through a
(02:18):
number of different studiesrecently, and it got me on this
topic.
We all have habits, right, somethat serve us really well and
others that don't serve usreally well, and, really
honestly, they're a hindrance.
They hold us back.
But have you ever wondered whyis it so hard to break bad
habits?
Or, conversely, why is it sohard to form new, positive ones?
(02:39):
Well, today I want to go overexploring the fascinating
neuroscience behind habits andthen walk through some practical
strategies to rewire your brainfor success.
So let's start with aninteresting fact.
According to the researchpublished in the Journal of
Personality and SocialPsychology, about 40% of our
daily actions are habits, notconscious decisions.
(03:03):
Yes, you heard me right Nearlyhalf of what you do every day
you were actually doing onautopilot.
Now imagine the impact on yourlife if you could optimize those
habits for success.
To understand how we change ourhabits, we almost have to back
up a little bit and understandhow they're formed in our brains
in the first place.
Dr Anne Graybill, aneuroscientist at MIT,
(03:26):
discovered that habits arecreated through a three-step
loop cue, routine, reward.
This is what was coined as thehabit loop, and the habit loop
is encoded in our basal ganglia,a part of our brain that's
involved in pattern formationand motivation.
So when we repeat a behavioroften enough, our brains
(03:48):
actually create neural pathwaysthat make this behavior
automatic.
It's like your brain iscreating a shortcut, making it
easier and more efficient toperform the same action in the
future, and then this is whyhabits can be so hard to break.
Your brain has literallyrewired itself to make the
behavior feel natural andeffortless.
(04:08):
There's good news to this,though, because just as your
brain can form these habits, itcan also be rewired to form new,
positive habits.
This ability of our brains tochange and adapt is called
neuroplasticity, and it's thekey to transforming our habits
and ultimately making a wholeshift in our lives.
So how do we harness the powerof neuroplasticity to form
(04:29):
better habits?
Well, let's break it down into afew steps.
The first step is identifyingthat habit loop.
You have to be able to payclose enough attention to
recognize the cue that triggersyour habit, and then the routine
that you follow, and then thereward you receive.
That's that habit loop right.
So, for example, if you'refeeling stressed, that's the cue
(04:52):
that may lead you to pick upyour phone and go start
scrolling social media.
That's the cue that may leadyou to pick up your phone and go
start scrolling social media.
That's the routine.
And then what does that do?
That provides a temporarydistraction for you.
A reward that's your dopaminehit.
So you have to start small.
Research from the University ofCalifornia has shown that
starting with tiny habitsincreases your chance of success
(05:15):
.
So, instead of aiming tomeditate for an hour or run five
miles or do 50 push-ups, right,instead of that, start with
just one minute of meditation aday.
Start with just five push-ups aday.
Start with just walking forfive minutes.
And then you got to useimplementation intentions.
(05:38):
A study in the British Journalof Health Psychology found that
people who used implementationintentions which is the I will
do this when this happens right,I will do X when Y happens
People who do that were far morelikely to stick to their goals.
So, for example, when I finishbreakfast, I'm going to meditate
for one minute.
(05:58):
When I finish breakfast, I'mgoing to do five push-ups.
When I finish breakfast, I'mgoing to go for a five-minute
walk.
You have to leverage yourenvironment.
There was another studypublished in Environment and
Behavior that showed that oursurroundings significantly
influence our habits.
So think about this Make yourdesired habit easier by
(06:19):
modifying your environment.
You want to start reading more.
Keep a book on your nightstandright.
Do something to where yourenvironment is actually being
influenced.
If you want to read more, makeit that much more easy and
convenient to pick up that book.
And then this is the hard partPractice consistency.
Consistency is key in formingnew neural pathways.
(06:40):
A study in the European Journalof Social Psychology found that
it takes an average of 66 daysfor a new habit to become
automatic.
You have to remember tocelebrate those small wins.
Every time you successfullyperform your new habit, your
brain releases dopamine, givesyou that feel-good chemical, and
it reinforces the neuralpathway.
(07:00):
So acknowledge and celebrateyour progress, regardless of how
small it is.
Now I want you to think about ahabit that you've been trying to
change, or a new one that maybeyou're trying to form or put
into your routine.
Maybe it's exercising regularly, maybe it's reading more, maybe
it's practicing mindfulness.
With the science-backedstrategies that we've talked
(07:20):
through, you have the power torewire your brain and make that
habit a reality.
So remember, change does nothappen overnight.
It's a process and it requirespatience and persistence.
But armed with the knowledge ofhow your brain works and these
practical strategies, you'realready ahead of the game.
(07:42):
So as we wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with a
powerful quote fromneuropsychologist Donald Hebb.
You may have heard it before,and it goes like this neurons
that fire together wire together.
Every time you practice yournew habit, you're strengthening
those neural connections, makingit easier and more natural.
Every single time, you have theability to shape your own brain
(08:05):
.
Think about it like a highway.
You are literally creating anew highway by retraining it.
So go out there, be mindful ofyour habits.
Be observant of your behaviorsand your routines and what's
driving them.
Go through that habit loop andthen start rewiring your brain
(08:25):
for the success that you deserve.
Don't forget greatness is notjust a destination, it's a habit
.
Thank you so much for listeningand for being here on this
journey with me.
I hope you'll stick around.
If you liked this episode, itwould mean the world for me if
you would rate and review thepodcast or share it with someone
(08:47):
you know.
Many need to hear this message.
I love to hear from you all andwant you to know that you can
leave me a voicemail directly.
If you go to my website,evokegreatnesscom, and go to the
Contact Me tab, you'll just hitthe big old orange button and
record your message.
I love the feedback andcomments that I've been getting,
so please keep them coming.
I'll leave you with the wisewords of author Robin Sharma
(09:09):
Greatness comes by doing a fewsmall and smart things each and
every day.
It comes from taking littlesteps consistently.
It comes from making a fewsmall chips against everything
in your professional andpersonal life that is ordinary,
so that a day eventually arriveswhen all that's left is the
extraordinary.
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