At my old job, we used to have cans of Coca-Cola available in our fridge. I remember every day I would start to drag around 3 PM, and then the lovely sound of someone else opening a can would cause me to get up, drift to the fridge, open my own and drink it as fast as possible. By 3:30 I was ready to tackle that important piece of work I had to do.
This was a habit. It was set off by a cue, followed by a routine and punctuated with a reward. According to The Power of Habit, these are three elements of the habit loop. The book gives you the lowdown of how habits are built, ignored, exploited and how to break them. The author weaves together stories of Alcoholics Annoynomous, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, early toothpaste salesmen and the launch of Febreeze to create a compelling tale. He reminds us that we can use habits for both good and bad and how they can be used to build better businesses and lives, a great read for those looking to create a “sticky” brand.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business