The hidden driver of lasting habits

In Atomic Habits, James Clear makes a powerful statement about changing our environment to change our behavior.

In 1936, psychologist Kurt Lewin wrote the simple equation B = f(P, E), which describes the environment as the invisible hand that shapes our behaviors.

Based on Lewin’s study—and, of course, the principles in Atomic Habits—most of us look for the cause of our behavior in what happened before it occurred.

"Fix the inputs, and the outputs will fix themselves."

Clear suggests that you need to solve problems at the systems level to improve for good.

At least, that’s what’s most visible at first glance when reading the book.

However, Clear also discusses the importance of focusing on the consequences of behavior when he talks about making habits satisfying, not just obvious and attractive.

Fixing the inputs is just half of the story.

In Bringing Out the Best in People, clinical psychologist Aubrey Daniels outlines two fundamental ways to change behavior:

Do something before the behavior occurs, or do something after the behavior occurs.

In behavioral analysis, the technical term for what comes before a behavior is antecedent. The term for what comes after is consequence.

Antecedents set the occasion for a behavior to occur (making it attractive), while consequences alter the probability that the behavior will occur again (making it satisfying).

Because antecedents always precede the behavior of interest, Daniels refers to them as “setting events” that set the stage for behavior.

“An effective antecedent gets a behavior to occur once. It is the role of a consequence to make it happen again.”

The crucial insight? People do what they do because of what happens to them when they do it, not because of what happens before the behavior occurs.

The power of immediate feedback

In Atomic Habits, James Clear states: “What is rewarded is repeated. What is punished is avoided. That’s the secret of behavioral change.”

But here’s the critical part: feedback must come immediately when the behavior occurs, not at the end of the month (paycheck), not once a year (bonus), not through a lottery for best improvement twice a year. Immediately.

Behavior is a function of its consequences: B = f(C) immediately after the behavior.

Ask yourself: Are you getting positive reinforcement right after the behavior? Is there a satisfying consequence that makes your brain want to repeat it?

“You learn what to do in the future based on what you were rewarded for doing (or punished for doing) in the past. Positive emotions cultivate habits. Negative emotions destroy them.”

New to behavioral change?

Read Bringing Out the Best in People first to learn the science behind sustainable behavior change. Then read Atomic Habits for practical strategies to set up your environment for success.

Just a hint.

Cheers,

Marek ;)