Now, write down your selected cues for each mini habit. I like to keep all of mine under the once
per day at any time umbrella. This keeps things simple.
Step 4: Create Your Reward Plan
If you're a prisoner hoping for parole,when do you think is the best time for your parole hearing?
I'll tell you. It's right after the parole judge takes a food break. A study found that judges
ruled more favorably for prisoners just after a food break (presumably, they were more willing to
listen).When you view the chart of parole grant rates, there is an obvious spike after each food
break.Making a difficult decision like granting parole is a part of ego depletion-the same energy
resource that determines our willpower. And food is a proven reward that can restore it.
What do you think would happen if you tried to make a new habit of sticking your face in the dirt
and eating some of it? (Let's assume that you wanted to build this habit.) You couldn't do it.
The obvious reason is who would want to do that? But the brain's reason is there's no reward.
It's more like punishment. Your brain would be very adamant against this.
If you're not playing sports, exercise can feel like a drag. Most people don't feel like running
around in circles or climbing a fake staircase; they don't feel like pushing, pulling, and
lifting various heavy objects at the gym. It comes with a feeling of discomfort.
I can say from experience that going to the gym is three times more uncomfortable when you're
out of shape.It feels like your muscles are saying, Hey, we were sleeping! After your hard workout,
you get home, look in the mirror, and your reward is...sweat? At this point, your brain is
probably asking you where the real reward is.