Willpower, Behavior, and the Biochemistry of Habit Change

Maneesh Sethi ( @maneesh )!CEO / Founder of Pavlok.com!

One Taxi Driver Two Lives

Abbas lost EIGHTY POUNDS and then gained it all back

HABIT

When it takes more effort to NOT do something than to DO something

= AUTOMATIC

People grow according to the demands they make on themselves. If they demand little of

themselves, they will remain stunted. If they demand a good deal of themselves, they will grow

to a giant stature !

without any more effort than is expended by the non-achievers.

!-Peter Drucker

In 30-66 days you can become a different person

“We Are What We Repeatedly Do. Excellence, then, is not an

act…But A Habit.” !

Aristotle

http://goo.gl/3dteGv

How do you form a habit? Part 1

Motivation • Reinforcement • Accountability

Ability • Microhabits • Executive Function • Triggers

80%

59% 29%

71.5%

With Referee Without Referee

With Monetary Bet

Without Monetary Bet

Commitment Success Rate with Bets and Referees

Based on 125,000 responses. NYtimes: http://nyti.ms/KdHP5T

Pavlok  Habit  ModelGoal  needed  to  reach  bet

Time

Microhabit  2

Microhabit  1

Microhabit  3

Motivators  -­‐ Reward  if  succeed,  punishment  

if  fail  -­‐ Accountability  mechanism  (e.g.  

person,  app-­‐based)

Example:  Drink  daily  morning  coffee,  then  just  

step  outside  in  gym  clothes

Example:  Drink  daily  morning  coffee,  then  walk  to  gym  in  gym  clothes  and  swipe  in

Example:  Drink  daily  morning  coffee,  then  do  activity  of  choice  for  5  

minutes

Microhabit  4Example:  Drink  daily  

morning  coffee,  then  do  activity  of  choice  for  15  

minutes

Goal:  exercise  for  30  

minutes  every  day

Now I get up at 7 without pressing the snooze button, do 10 mins of mindfulness meditation, read a few pages of a philosophical or poetry book, and write. These are all habits now!

I’ve been able to write 1,000 words per day consistently. No matter how hard I've tried in the past, it was impossible. But the program really works. The best part is, now the habit doesn't feel like a chore...it's just part of my life.

I have been brushing my teeth 15 minutes before my desired sleeping time as my habit trigger. This encourages me to finish the process and go to sleep. Now, not only am I getting up earlier, but I am also sleeping more and getting better rest!

Habits

Habits

http://pavlok.com/igg