Kim Cue: An event that triggers a response
Action: The new behavior
Reward: The motivation for repeating the action
For example, when I my alarm goes off in the morning, I get up and start my day. I head downstairs and make a simmering cup of coffee—my favorite ritual of the day. This is a habit loop built up over years. In this loop, the cue is the alarm going off. The action is getting out of bed. The reward is the coffee. If it weren’t for coffee, I wouldn’t be writing this article. I’d still be in bed.
To build a healthy habit loop, begin with the action. Once the action is chosen, ask yourself, what cue makes sense for this action? Finally, determine a reward that will motivate you. Keep in mind, rewards must be immediate to be effective. Saying, “I’ll be stronger next month f I stick to my plan this week,” does not provide the immediate reward needed to make a proper habit loop.
Keep rewards simple and healthy. Rewards can be as simple as a good feeling. For example, preparing healthy meals on Sunday to use throughout the week brings me a feeling of satisfaction, and that is the reward. For something more visual, put a marble in a jar each time you act on a new habit, such as each time you choose a vegetable over chips. The feeling of satisfaction in seeing the jar fill up is a great visual reward.
It can take weeks for a new habit to form, but if you stick with the habit-loop approach, soon enough, you will have a healthy habit.
