THE 20 SECOND RULE - HOW TO BUILD A NEW HABIT

Summary

In this video, happiness researcher Shawn Achor shares the 20 Second Rule to help build positive habits and break negative ones. He explains how small, simple changes in our environment—like reducing the time or effort needed to start a positive habit—can make a huge difference. Achor demonstrates this by applying the rule to his guitar practice and TV-watching habits, showing how reducing activation energy can make good habits easier and bad habits harder. He encourages viewers to experiment with the rule to improve their own routines, whether it’s exercising, eating healthier, or reducing screen time.

Takeaways

• 😀 Willpower is finite and unreliable for forming long-term habits.
• 😀 Decision fatigue can make it harder to maintain positive habits, especially at the end of a stressful day.
• 😀 The path of least resistance often leads to disempowering habits, such as watching TV instead of going to the gym.
• 😀 The 20 Second Rule suggests that reducing the effort needed to start a habit by just 20 seconds can lead to long-term success.
• 😀 Achor applied the 20 Second Rule by placing his guitar in the center of his apartment, which led to 21 straight days of practice.
• 😀 To break a negative habit, increase the activation energy required, such as moving batteries away from the TV remote.
• 😀 Positive habits can be built by reducing the effort needed to start them, like preparing meals in advance or placing your toothbrush next to your bed.
• 😀 Small changes, like moving alcohol further away or deleting social media apps, can help you make better choices and reduce negative habits.
• 😀 The 20 Second Rule can help shift behaviors, such as choosing reading or writing over watching TV after work.
• 😀 To apply the 20 Second Rule effectively, focus on reducing the activation energy for positive behaviors and increasing it for negative ones.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind Shawn Achor's 'The 20 Second Rule'?

The 20 Second Rule involves reducing the activation energy required to perform positive habits and increasing the effort required to perform negative habits. By making good habits easier and bad habits harder, you can more easily form positive routines.

Why is willpower not sufficient to build long-term habits?

Willpower is a finite resource. Over time, as you make more decisions, you experience decision fatigue, which makes it harder to prioritize positive habits, especially at the end of a stressful day.

How does decision fatigue impact habit formation?

Decision fatigue makes it more difficult to make good choices. As a result, people are more likely to fall into habitual negative behaviors, like watching TV instead of exercising, because they require less effort and energy.

What is the 20 Second Rule, and how did it help Shawn Achor form a new habit?

The 20 Second Rule is a simple concept where reducing the effort needed to begin a habit by just 20 seconds can make a big difference. Achor applied this by placing his guitar in the center of his apartment, reducing the effort required to start practicing, and he successfully practiced for 21 days straight.

How can you use the 20 Second Rule to replace negative habits?

You can increase the effort needed for negative habits. For example, Achor moved the batteries of his TV remote to another location, making it harder to watch television. This small inconvenience helped him transition to more productive habits like reading and writing.

What example did Achor use to explain replacing negative habits with positive ones?

Achor used the example of replacing watching television after work with reading and writing his book. He moved the batteries of the TV remote, which added enough inconvenience to help him choose the more productive option.

What are some examples of how to apply the 20 Second Rule in everyday life?

Examples include putting your toothbrush next to your bed to make brushing easier, moving alcohol to another room to discourage drinking, or deleting social media apps from your phone to reduce time spent online.

How does the 20 Second Rule help with creating healthy eating habits?

To make healthy eating easier, you can prepare your meals in advance. By reducing the effort required to choose healthy food (like having it ready to eat), you make it more likely that you will stick to healthy habits.

What is the significance of 'activation energy' in forming habits?

Activation energy refers to the initial effort needed to start a habit. By reducing activation energy for positive habits (like placing a guitar in a visible place) and increasing it for negative habits (like hiding remote control batteries), you can shape your behaviors more effectively.

Why is it important to decrease the activation energy for good habits?

Decreasing the activation energy for good habits makes them easier to start, which increases the likelihood that you will follow through. This approach helps to bypass the initial resistance that often stops people from engaging in positive behaviors.