Chapter 3 of 4
The Four Laws of Behavior Change
The framework for building good habits: Make it Obvious, Attractive, Easy, and Satisfying.
Key Insights
The Habit Loop: Cue → Craving → Response → Reward
4 Laws: Make it Obvious, Make it Attractive, Make it Easy, Make it Satisfying
To break a bad habit, invert the laws: Make it Invisible, Unattractive, Difficult, Unsatisfying
Notes
The Habit Loop
Every habit follows a four-step pattern: (1) CUE — triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. (2) CRAVING — the motivational force behind every habit. (3) RESPONSE — the actual habit you perform. (4) REWARD — the end goal of every habit, satisfying the craving.
The Four Laws (Building Good Habits)
1st Law (Cue): Make it OBVIOUS — use implementation intentions, habit stacking. 2nd Law (Craving): Make it ATTRACTIVE — use temptation bundling, join a culture where your desired behavior is normal. 3rd Law (Response): Make it EASY — reduce friction, use the Two-Minute Rule. 4th Law (Reward): Make it SATISFYING — use habit tracking, never miss twice.
Implementation Intentions
Use the formula: 'I will [BEHAVIOR] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].' Example: 'I will meditate for one minute at 7 AM in my kitchen.' This removes ambiguity and creates a clear plan of action.
Habit Stacking
Formula: 'After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].' Example: 'After I pour my morning coffee, I will meditate for one minute.' Link new habits to existing ones to leverage the momentum of your current routine.
Inversion for Breaking Bad Habits
To break a bad habit, invert the 4 laws: Make it INVISIBLE (remove cues), Make it UNATTRACTIVE (reframe mindset), Make it DIFFICULT (increase friction), Make it UNSATISFYING (add accountability).
Quotes
“You don't have to be the victim of your environment. You can also be the architect of it.”
— Page 84
“The best way to start a new habit is to make it so easy you can't say no.”
— Page 163