Essentials: The Science of Making & Breaking Habits
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In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, I explain how to create lasting habits and break unwanted ones.
I explain two habit-building systems: one aligned with daily rhythms and another based on a 21-day cycle of forming and reinforcing habits. I also discuss why habit formation differs between individuals and how certain "linchpin" habits can make other behaviors easier to adopt. Finally, I share practical tools—including visualization, task bracketing, and methods for rewiring bad habits—to support lasting behavioral change.
Articles
- How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world (European Journal of Social Psychology)
- Psychology of Habit (Annual Review of Psychology)
This transcript is currently under human review and may contain errors. The fully reviewed version will be posted as soon as it is available.
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The Science of Making & Breaking Habits
Huberman Lab Essentials are short episodes focused on essential science and protocol takeaways from past full-length Huberman Lab episodes.
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