Best Ways to Build Better Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear
In this episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, Andrew Huberman and guest James Clear explore the fundamentals of habit formation and change. They examine how physical and social environments shape our habits, from the impact of full-spectrum lighting to the influence of our social circles, and discuss practical strategies for creating positive behavioral changes, including Clear's "minimum effective dose" approach to starting new habits.
The conversation delves into the psychological aspects of habit formation, particularly how habits connect to personal identity and self-image. Clear and Huberman address methods for maintaining new habits despite setbacks, including Clear's "never miss twice" principle, and explain how viewing challenges as opportunities for growth can help sustain positive behaviors over time.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Jan 5, 2026 episode of the Huberman Lab
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1-Page Summary
Role of Environment and Context in Habit Formation
Andrew Huberman and James Clear explore how both physical and social environments significantly influence habit formation. Huberman suggests that minimizing distractions, such as keeping social media on a separate phone, can enhance focus and facilitate better habits. He also notes that environments with full-spectrum light and greenery can benefit mental and physical health.
The experts emphasize that social circles play a crucial role in habit development. Clear points out that habits aligned with social norms are more likely to stick, as humans have a deep biological need to bond. Both experts advocate for surrounding yourself with people who embody desired habits, even if it means creating new communities or joining online groups.
Practical Strategies For Building Good Habits
James Clear emphasizes the importance of simplifying habit formation by breaking down behaviors into their smallest possible actions. He calls this the "minimum effective dose" approach. For example, starting with just five minutes at the gym or writing one sentence can make new habits more approachable. Huberman refers to this as creating "a very thin edge of the wedge."
Clear's framework for habit formation centers on making desired behaviors obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying. This might involve simple environmental changes, such as keeping exercise equipment visible or placing a guitar on a stand in the living room. Conversely, he suggests making unwanted habits invisible and difficult to execute.
The Psychological and Identity-Based Aspects of Habit Change
Clear and Huberman discuss how habits are deeply connected to self-identity. Clear introduces the concept of "identity-based habits," where each action serves as a vote for the type of person one wishes to become. This connection between habits and identity creates intrinsic rewards that help sustain new behaviors.
The experts emphasize the importance of maintaining a growth mindset when dealing with setbacks. Clear advocates for his "never miss twice" approach, where the goal is to resume a habit immediately after a slip-up. Huberman adds that learning to appreciate challenges as opportunities for growth can help develop resilience and maintain positive habits over time.
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Counterarguments
- While minimizing distractions can be helpful, some people may find that certain distractions or multitasking can actually enhance their focus or creativity, challenging the idea that a distraction-free environment is universally beneficial.
- The suggestion to use separate devices for social media may not be practical or financially feasible for everyone, and it may not address the underlying habits that lead to distraction.
- While full-spectrum light and greenery can have health benefits, they are not the only or most significant factors in mental and physical health, and other environmental factors such as noise levels or air quality might also play a critical role.
- Social circles do influence habit development, but individual motivation and personal values can sometimes be stronger influences, especially when an individual is committed to change that goes against the norm of their current social group.
- The "minimum effective dose" approach may not work for everyone; some habits or skills may require a certain level of intensity or duration to be effective or to create a noticeable impact.
- Making desired behaviors obvious and easy might not always lead to habit formation if the individual lacks intrinsic motivation or if the behavior does not align with their values or lifestyle.
- The concept of "identity-based habits" assumes that individuals have a clear and stable sense of identity that they wish to express through their habits, which may not be the case for everyone.
- The "never miss twice" approach may not be suitable for all types of habits or individuals, as it could lead to feelings of guilt or failure that undermine the habit formation process.
- Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth is a positive mindset, but it may not always be realistic or helpful in situations where the challenges are beyond one's control or where failure has significant consequences.
Actionables
- You can redesign your workspace to include a plant and a lamp that emits full-spectrum light to create a healthier environment for habit formation. By doing this, you're not only improving the quality of light for your eyes but also introducing an element of nature, which can reduce stress and increase your overall well-being. For example, place a small desk plant like a succulent, which requires minimal care, and a full-spectrum desk lamp to illuminate your work area.
- Create a habit tracker that incorporates your social commitments to leverage the influence of your social circle. This could be a simple calendar where you mark the habits you're working on and include social events that align with these habits. For instance, if you're trying to exercise more, you could plan weekly group hikes or sports activities with friends who share this interest, and mark these on your tracker to visualize the social support for your habit.
- Develop a "habit swap" technique where you replace an unwanted habit with a desirable one by altering your environment to make the unwanted habit difficult and the desired one easy. For example, if you're trying to reduce snacking on unhealthy foods, you could swap out the candy jar for a bowl of fresh fruit. By placing the fruit bowl in a prominent place and storing the candy out of sight, you make it easier to choose the healthier option automatically.
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Role of Environment and Context in Habit Formation
Andrew Huberman, James Clear, and other experts highlight the crucial role that environment and context play in forming and maintaining habits, underscoring the significance of both physical and social settings.
Optimizing Environments to Influence Habit Development
Experts agree that habits are intrinsically linked to the environments and contexts in which they're performed. For example, they suggest that creating a dedicated journaling space can help solidify the habit of journaling.
Habits Link To Contexts and Cues, So Minimize Distractions for Desired Behaviors
Andrew Huberman suggests that an environment with minimal distractions can enhance focus and facilitate habit formation. For example, he keeps social media on a separate phone or goes on hikes without his phone. Huberman also shares that his best work was done in situations where he was uncomfortable, using frustration as motivation to get tasks done. Steven Pressfield's recommendation of an uncomfortable chair to maintain alertness during writing also indicates how physical discomfort can sometimes benefit productivity.
Huberman discusses creating a conducive environment for mental and physical health by being in spaces with full-spectrum light, like sunlight, and near greenery, as infrared light from leaves can feed mitochondria. He advises on the importance of context in eating habits, suggesting not to consume a lot of calories before sleep to avoid impairing sleep quality. James Clear remarks on the influence of stimuli in shaping behavior, and the role of good positioning in habit formation, while highlighting that habits are often tied to specific contexts, suggesting changing environments can aid in building new habits.
Social Circles Shape Your Habits
Surround Yourself With People Who Embody Desired Habits
The social environment has a dramatic impact on our behaviors; habits are easier to maintain when they align with the norms of our social groups. Clear points out that humans have a deep biological need to bond, and habits that fit within social norms are more likely to be rewarded.
James Clear discusses how inherited or observed solutions to recurring problems form our habits, demonstrating the social circle's role in habit development. Huberman emphasizes creating or joining groups to support ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Role of Environment and Context in Habit Formation
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While dedicated spaces can help solidify habits, they are not always necessary or feasible for everyone due to space or financial constraints.
- Minimizing distractions can be beneficial, but some people may find that certain types of background noise or activity actually enhance their focus and productivity.
- Physical discomfort may increase alertness for some, but it can also lead to health issues or decreased productivity for others who may require comfortable settings to work effectively.
- Full-spectrum light and greenery can be beneficial, but the degree to which they impact mental and physical health can vary greatly among individuals.
- The advice not to consume a lot of calories before sleep is not universally applicable, as some dietary patterns or individual metabolisms may accommodate or even require late-night eating without impairing sleep quality.
- The idea that changing environments can aid in building new habits may not address deeper psychological or emotional factors that contribute to habit formation.
- The impact of social environments on behavior can be complex, and individuals may maintain certain habits despite them being at odds with social norms due to personal values or individual circumstances.
- The concept that humans have a biological need to bond and that habits fitting social norms are more likely to be rewarded does not account for the value of individuality and non-conformity in personal development.
- The role of social circles in habit development may overlook the capacity for self-motivated change and the influence of personal agency in habit formation.
- The emphasis on creating or joining groups to support positive habits may ...
Actionables
- You can redesign your workspace to align with a specific task you want to turn into a habit, like placing a water pitcher on your desk to encourage hydration. By associating this space with the habit, you'll be more likely to perform it regularly.
- Create a 'habit swap' with friends or family where you each introduce a positive habit you're trying to adopt and support each other in making the change. This leverages the power of social environments and accountability to reinforce new behaviors.
- Start a 'c ...
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Practical Strategies For Building Good Habits
James Clear and Andrew Huberman discuss strategies to build good habits, emphasizing the start of a habit, maintaining consistency, and the factors that lead to sticking with new behaviors.
Focus On the "Minimum Effective Dose" to Build
Simplifying Initial Steps Boosts Consistent Action
James Clear underscores the importance of simplifying habit formation. He suggests breaking down the habit into the smallest action possible — even if it's only for a five-minute or 30-second window. For example, Huberman speaks of starting new habits by writing just one word or sentence, calling this approach creating "a very thin edge of the wedge."
Clear talks about the significance of maintaining habits on both good and bad days. The ability to do even a smaller version of the habit when times are tough is the key to consistency. A reader named Mitch exemplifies this by setting a rule to stay at the gym for no more than five minutes when he started working out.
Huberman also underscores the necessity of taking that first, simple step. He refers to the ability of Mitch to go to the gym, even for just five minutes, as "chunking", noting that once Mitch conquered the initial step, doing a full workout felt more approachable.
Clear highlights that establishing a habit isn't about executing it at the optimal time but ensuring that it is performed at all. To illustrate this principle, he describes the method of introducing a little friction to unwanted habits and simplifying the steps for the desired ones. This is further demonstrated by his personal experience of hiring a trainer, which committed him to consistent workouts.
These approaches emphasize that simplifying the initial steps of a behavior makes consistent action more likely, which raises the potential for improved performance and habit formation.
Leverage the Four Laws of Behavior Change: Obvious, Attractive, Easy, Satisfying
Principles for Stickier Habits
While the podcast transcript provided does not specifically mention the Four Laws of Behavior Change, Clear and Huberman’s discussion touches upon these principles indirectly.
To form a new habit, Clear suggests that the action should be visible and attractive. For instance, setting out running shoes or keeping a guitar on a stand in the living room helps prime the environment, making the habit more obvious and easier to start. Ensuring habits are easy and satisfying is also crucial. Sleeping in running clothes or keeping a water bottle ready can ...
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Practical Strategies For Building Good Habits
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While simplifying habits into the smallest possible actions can help with consistency, some habits may require a certain threshold of complexity or duration to be effective, and oversimplification might not lead to the desired outcome.
- Consistency is important, but so is intensity and quality of the habit. Performing a smaller version of a habit during tough times might not always be beneficial if it leads to a habit being performed poorly or without the necessary effort to be effective.
- The concept of "chunking" can be helpful, but it may not address deeper motivational issues or psychological barriers that prevent someone from taking the first step or following through with a habit.
- While performing a habit at any time is better than not at all, research suggests that timing can play a crucial role in habit formation and effectiveness, such as aligning habits with circadian rhythms.
- Introducing friction to unwanted habits can be effective, but it may not address the underlying reasons why someone engages in those habits, which could lead to finding ways around the friction or simply replacing one bad habit with another.
- Making habits obvious and attractive is a useful strategy, but it may not be sufficient for individuals who struggle with self-regulation or have a high level of resistance to change.
- The idea that making habits easy and satisfying will increase adherence does not take into account that some beneficial habits are inherently difficult or uncomfortable, and the satisfaction may only come after a long period of consistent effort.
- The strategy of making bad habits invisible and unattractive might not be practical in all situations, especially when bad habits are tied to social activities or environments ...
Actionables
- Create a habit roadmap with micro-goals to visualize progress and maintain motivation. Start by identifying a larger habit you want to establish, then break it down into the smallest possible actions. Draw a simple flowchart that starts with the initial micro-action and leads to the end goal, with each step being a slightly larger action towards the habit. For example, if you want to read more, your first action might be to open a book daily, followed by reading one page, then a chapter, and so on.
- Design a "habit swap" technique to replace an unwanted habit with a desirable one by using similar cues and rewards. Identify a bad habit you want to break and analyze the cue that triggers it and the reward you get from it. Then, choose a good habit that can be triggered by the same cue and provides a similar reward. For instance, if you habitually snack on junk food while watching TV (cue), swap it out for snacking on healthy alternatives like carrot sticks or nuts to maintain the reward of eating while engaged in the activity.
- Implement a "habit pairing" strategy by linking ...
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The Psychological and Identity-Based Aspects of Habit Change
Understanding the connection between self-perception, identity, and habit change is key to forming and sustaining new behaviors. James Clear and Andrew Huberman delve into the psychological underpinnings of this relationship and offer insights on how to manage it effectively.
Shifting Self-Perception to Enhance Intrinsic Rewards and Sustain Habits
Habits Reflect Self-Identity, Boosting Motivation
Both Clear and Huberman emphasize that habits are deeply intertwined with our sense of self. Habits reflect how we perceive ourselves and can either reinforce our current identity or help us evolve. Clear discusses the concept of "identity-based habits," where each action is a vote for the type of person one wishes to become. Engaging in such habits reinforces our desired identity, making us feel good about living up to the kind of person we want to be. This intrinsic reward sustains the habit and strengthens motivation.
James Clear reflects on his own self-perception, which has allowed him to try new things without getting deterred by perfectionism. He highlights that habits like hiking not only resonate with his identity but also provide intrinsic rewards by making him feel grounded, thereby sustaining the habit. Similarly, Huberman touches on the "primordial reset" that engaging in activities aligned with our identity can provide, underscoring the deep connection between self-identity and well-being.
For Clear, consistency in actions like writing, reading, and working out has been crucial. These activities, which form his major pillars for a good day, are part of his self-identity and help in sustaining motivation. Clear suggests that focusing on inputs carefully will influence identity and habits indirectly, as consuming productive and creative inputs leads to more productive and creative thoughts.
Embrace Failure and Rebound From Setbacks For Habit Change
Growth Mindset and Self-Compassion Turn Obstacles Into Opportunities
Clear and Huberman also delve into the importance of cultivating a growth mindset to encourage habit change. Huberman describes learning to appreciate pain during challenging experiences as an indicator of growth. This perspective helps see setbacks not as failures but as opportunities to learn and develop resilience.
Clear shares his experiences with failure in sports, explaining how these helped him learn to rebound from setbacks. By being able to come back from loss, habits can be maintained and improved upon. He advocates for the approach of never missing twice, where if one falters in a habit, th ...
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The Psychological and Identity-Based Aspects of Habit Change
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Clarifications
- "Identity-based habits" are actions chosen because they align with how you see yourself or want to see yourself. Each habit you perform is like casting a "vote" that reinforces a particular identity, making that identity stronger over time. For example, consistently exercising votes for the identity of being a healthy person. This approach shifts focus from outcomes to becoming the type of person who naturally performs those habits.
- Intrinsic rewards are internal feelings of satisfaction or pleasure that come from performing an activity itself, rather than from external incentives like money or praise. In habit formation, these rewards motivate you to repeat the behavior because it feels personally meaningful or enjoyable. They help create a positive emotional connection to the habit, making it more likely to stick. This internal motivation is often stronger and more sustainable than relying on outside rewards.
- The term "primordial reset" refers to engaging in activities that reconnect us with basic, natural states of being, such as physical movement or exposure to nature. This reset helps reduce stress and recalibrate the nervous system, promoting mental clarity and emotional balance. It taps into evolutionary mechanisms that support well-being by restoring a sense of safety and grounding. Thus, it enhances overall psychological health by aligning our modern habits with innate biological needs.
- "Inputs" refer to the information, experiences, and stimuli we consume daily, such as books, conversations, media, and environments. These inputs shape our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, which in turn influence how we see ourselves. Over time, consistent exposure to positive, productive inputs can shift our self-identity and encourage habits aligned with that new identity. Thus, managing inputs is a subtle but powerful way to guide habit formation and personal growth.
- A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and learning. It encourages embracing challenges, persisting through setbacks, and viewing failure as a chance to improve. Practically, it means focusing on progress rather than perfection and valuing effort over innate talent. This mindset fosters resilience and continuous personal development.
- Self-compassion involves treating yourself with kindness during failures instead of harsh judgment. It reduces negative emotions like shame, which can derail habit progress. By fostering a supportive inner dialogue, self-compassion encourages persistence and resilience. This mindset helps maintain motivation and prevents giving up after setbacks.
- The "never miss twice" rule means if you skip a habit once, you should immediately resume it the next time to avoid breaking the routine. This prevents a single lapse from turning into a long-term failure by minimizing disruption. It helps maintain momentum and reinforces consistency, which is crucial for habit formation. By quickl ...
Counterarguments
- Habits may not always be a conscious reflection of identity; sometimes they are formed by external pressures or unconscious biases.
- The idea that every habit is a "vote" for personal identity might oversimplify the complex nature of habit formation and overlook external factors that influence behavior.
- Intrinsic rewards may not always be sufficient for sustaining motivation, especially in the face of strong external disincentives or obstacles.
- Consistency in actions is important, but rigid adherence to certain habits without flexibility can lead to burnout or neglect of other important life aspects.
- The assumption that consuming productive and creative inputs will lead to productive and creative thoughts may not account for individual differences in processing and responding to information.
- A growth mindset is beneficial, but it's important to recognize that not all individuals may be able to adopt this mindset easily due to various psychological or environmental factors.
- Positive mental attitudes are helpful, but excessive positivity can sometimes lead to ignoring or downplaying real problems that need to be addressed.
- The "never miss twice" rule is a useful guideline, but it may not be practical or compassionate towards individuals facing significant life disruptions or mental h ...
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