What's on Your Bookshelf?

In this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 13, How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the Two-Minute Rule. 

Your goal might be to run a marathon, but your gateway habit is to put on your running shoes. 

The point is to master the habit of showing up. You can’t improve a habit that doesn’t exist. Make it easy to start and the rest will follow.

The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely it becomes that you can slip into the state of deep focus that is required to do great things. Standardize before you optimize.

The rule also reinforces the identity you want to build. You’re taking the smallest action that confirms the type of person you want to be. One minute of reading is better than never picking up a book. It’s better to do less than you hoped than to do nothing at all.

Once you’ve mastered showing up, scale your habit back up toward your ultimate goal with habit shaping.

Additional Resources

All Roads Lead To Something: Tips For Effective Decision-Making by Denise Russo

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

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In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 5 and 6, Five Gold Rings and Six Geese a-Laying.

If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here.

If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover. 

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

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It's a fact that the Law of Least Effort governs human behavior. Our natural tendency is to choose the option that requires the minimum amount of work. Therefore, one should make their habits so easy that they can be carried out even when they don't feel it's essential. It's important to create an environment that makes doing the right thing as easy as possible. Instead of trying to fight against obstacles, one should aim to reduce the friction associated with good behaviors. When there is minimum conflict, habits become effortless. Optimizing your environment is a great way to make actions simpler. If you want to develop a new habit, choose a place that is already part of your daily routine. Habits are easier to form when they fit into the flow of your life. Another way to make future actions easier is to prime your environment. On the other hand, to break bad habits, it's essential to increase the friction associated with destructive behaviors. When there is more conflict, it will be harder to maintain negative patterns.Human behavior follows the Law of Least Effort. We naturally gravitate toward the option that requires the least amount of work.
You are making your habits so easy that you’ll do them even when you don’t feel it is crucial. 
Create an environment where doing the right thing is as easy as possible. 
Rather than trying to overcome friction, reduce the friction associated with good behaviors. When conflict is low, habits are easy. 
Optimize your environment to make actions easier. To practice a new habit, choose a place that is already along the path of your daily routine. Habits are more accessible to build when they fit into the flow of your life. 
Another way is to prime your environment to make future actions easier. 
To break bad habits, increase the friction associated with destructive behaviors. When conflict is high, patterns are difficult. 

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 3 and 4, Three French Hens and Four Calling Birds from her book, 12 Days.

If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here.

If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover. 

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

In this episode, Denise and Sam explore Chapter 11 of Atomic Habits by James Clear: Walk Slowly, but Never Backward

We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we always need to take action. For example:

• Motion: outlining twenty ideas for articles. Action: sitting down and writing an article
• Motion: search for a better diet plan and read a few books. Action: eat a healthy meal

Motion can be helpful, but it will never produce an outcome by itself.

Motion feels like making progress without running the risk of failure. But really, you’re just preparing to get something done.

The most effective form of learning is practice rather than planning. Focus on taking action, not being in motion.

To master a habit, start with repetition, not perfection. You don’t need to map out every feature of a new habit. Just practice it. Get your reps in.

Habit formation is the process by which a behavior becomes progressively more automatic through repetition. The amount of time you have been performing a habit is less important than the number of times you have performed it. What matters is the rate at which you perform the behavior. It’s the frequency that makes the difference.

Additional Resources

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

In this episode of What's on Your Bookshelf, Denise and Scott talk about Chapters 1 and 2, A Partridge in a Pear Tree and Two Turtle Doves from her book, 12 Days.

If you would like to download the 12 Days playlist from Spotify, the link is available here.

If you would like to purchase your copy of 12 Days, use this link to order for your Kindle, soft cover, or hard cover. 

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

Every behavior has both a surface-level craving and a more profound underlying motive. For instance, smoking cigarettes or checking Instagram may not be something we truly desire. Instead, at a deeper level, we may aim to reduce uncertainty, relieve anxiety, win social acceptance and approval, or achieve status. Essentially, our habits are modern-day solutions to ancient desires. Some people may take up smoking as a way to relieve stress, while others may choose to go for a run. Once we associate a solution with a problem, we tend to turn to it as a habit. 

• For example, if you notice that the stove is hot, your prediction would be, "If I touch it, I'll get burned, so I should avoid touching it." Similarly, if you see that the traffic light has turned green, your prediction would be, "If I step on the gas, I'll make it through the intersection safely, so I should step on the gas."

Life often feels like we are reacting to events, but in fact, our actions are often predictable. Our habits are formed because of the predictions that precede them. These predictions lead to a feeling, which is how we describe a craving. Habits become attractive when we associate them with positive feelings and unattractive when we associate them with negative feelings. 

To reprogram our brains to enjoy difficult habits, we can make them more attractive by associating them with positive experiences. We can also highlight the benefits of avoiding bad habits to make them seem less attractive. 

For instance, exercise can be associated with a challenging task that drains energy and leaves us feeling tired. But, we can view it as a way to develop our skills and strength. Instead of saying, "I need to go run in the morning," we can say, "It's time to build endurance and get faster." 

Similarly, saving money is usually associated with sacrifice. However, we can associate it with freedom, as living below our current means can increase our future means. 

To create a motivation ritual, we can do something we enjoy immediately before engaging in a problematic habit. This can help us associate the habit with a positive experience, making it easier to stick to our goals.

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

In this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 9: The Role of Family and Friends in Shaping Your Habits.

The culture we live in determines which behaviors are attractive to us. We tend to adopt habits that are praised and approved of by our culture because we have a strong desire to fit in and belong to the tribe.

We tend to imitate the habits of three social groups. Each group offers an opportunity to leverage the 2nd Law of Behavior Change and make our habits more attractive:

1. Imitating the Close: we pick up habits from the people around us. To build better habits, join a culture where your desired behavior is normal behavior. If you are surrounded by fit people, you’re more likely to consider working out to be a common habit
2. Imitating the Many: whenever we are unsure how to act, we look to the group to guide our behavior.  Most days, we’d rather be wrong with the crowd than be right by ourselves
3. Imitation the Powerful: we are drawn to behaviors that earn us respect, approval, admiration, and status. If a behavior can get us approval, respect, and praise, we find it attractive. We are also motivated to avoid behaviors that would lower our status

Additional Resources

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

In this episode, Denise and Sam explore Chapter 8: How to Make a Habit Irresistible

The more attractive an opportunity is, the more likely it is to become habit-forming. 

Habits are a dopamine-driven feedback loop. Every behavior that is highly habit-forming – taking drugs, eating junk food, browsing social media – is associated with higher levels of dopamine. Dopamine is released when you experience pleasure but also when you anticipate it.

Additional Resources

The Passion Planner
Passion Planner discount code: RWRD.IO/EFWYE73?C

Denise Russo's Website
www.schoolofthoughts.net

Denise Russo's Forbes Articles
Forbes Article Link

Samantha Powell's Website and Blog
Lead The Game

Connect with us on LinkedIn:
Denise Russo
Andy Hughes
Samantha Powell
School of Thoughts

Where you can subscribe and listen:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Amazon Music
Podcast Index
Podcast Addict

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.

On this episode, Denise and Sam discuss Chapter 6: Motivation Is Overrated; Environment Often Matters More of Atomic Habits by James Clear. 

Making small changes in your environment can lead to significant changes in behavior over time. Habits are context-dependent, and the cues of good habits should be obvious in your surroundings. For example, if you want to practice guitar more frequently, you can place it in the middle of the living room. Similarly, if you want to drink more water, you can fill up a few water bottles each morning and place them around the house. The most persistent behaviors usually have multiple cues, and habits become associated not with a single trigger but with the entire context surrounding the behavior. Building new habits in a new environment is easier because you won't fight old cues. You can create new routines in new places, like a different coffee shop or a bench in the park. If you can't change your environment, rearrange your current space by creating separate zones for work, study, exercise, and entertainment. Even if your space is limited, you can divide your room into activity zones, like a chair for reading, a desk for writing, and a table for eating. The same can be done in your digital spaces.

Connect with us on our LinkedIn page School of Thoughts . We also value your reviews, subscribing, and sharing our podcast "What's On Your Bookshelf?" on Apple and Spotify.

Subscribe to our new YouTube channel.