A habit is a fixed way of thinking that leads to automatic behavior.
习惯是导致机械行为的固定思维方式
The benefit is we don’t have to rethink again and again what to do.
好处是我们不必再三考虑该做什么
It just happens and can have good side effects.
它就这么发生了 而且会有积极作用
But a bad habit can also hurt us
但是坏习惯也会伤害我们
or hold us back from progressing.
或阻碍我们进步
Although, like anything, we can learn and unlearn them.
尽管如此 就像任何事 我们都可以选择熟记或忘记
But first, let’s try to understand where they come from.
首先 我们来看看习惯是如何形成的
Habits are made by experiences creating fixed ways of thinking inside our brain.
人脑创造固定的思维方式 由此形成习惯
To explain this,
为了明确这一点
let’s compare what happens inside your brain to what happens on a farm.
我们来对比大脑和农场里发生的事情
There is a farmer named Joe,
这是农夫乔
his vegetable garden,
这是他的菜园子
the chicken shed and a mailbox.
鸡棚和信箱
Every morning farmer Joe first walks to the vegetables,
每天早晨 农夫乔都要先去菜园
then checks on his chickens,
然后检查他的鸡
then collects his mail and then walks back to the house.
再取信件回到屋里
After a few days of this routine,
如此循环往复
his trace becomes more visible on his farm.
他的脚印在农场变得愈发明显
After a few months, the trace becomes fixed pathways.
几个月后 脚印就形成了固定路径
Not only on his farm, but also inside his brain.
这条路不仅在农场里 也在乔的脑海里
One night Joe has a magical dream
一天晚上 乔做了一个神奇的梦
where he discovers his love with all living creatures.
他梦见自己对农场里的所有生物产生了怜悯之心
The next day he sets all of his chickens free.
于是第二天他就放生了所有的鸡
The funny thing is though,
有趣的是
instead of adjusting his behavior,
他并没有改变路线
he still walks blindly from the vegetable garden to the chicken shed.
仍是不加思考地从菜园走到鸡舍
The trace on the ground,
因为这条路线不仅在地上
and inside Joe’s brain are now just too deep.
也深深刻在乔的脑海里
To leave the path of habit, we have to go down a new road.
要放弃习惯之路 我们就必须走一条新路
This takes time, multiple repetitions of our new desired behavior
我们需要时间多次重复新行为
and willpower to keep going.
并用意志力坚持
A habit is often a response to a certain trigger,
习惯往往是对某种触发因素的反应
which follows a routine
它遵循一定的惯例
and usually ends with a reward.
通常最后会有回报
This is also called a habit loop.
这也叫作习惯回路
Joe’s trigger is the vegetables.
乔的触发事件是给蔬菜
As soon as he waters the last tomato,
一旦他浇完最后一棵番茄
he starts his next routine to automatically walk to the chickens.
就下意识循例去了鸡笼
His reward is to find eggs.
他的回报是找到鸡蛋
And because rewards release dopamine,
回报会让大脑释放多巴胺
a neurotransmitter that makes our brain first happy and then hooked,
这种神经递质能让大脑快乐并上瘾
we get stuck and can’t let go anymore.
使人深陷其中 不能自拔
Joe’s sister lives in the city.
乔的姐姐住在城里
She has a funny habit.
她有一个有趣的习惯
Whenever she hears her phone,
无论何时听到手机响
she automatically looks at the screen.
都会下意识地看手机屏幕
Most of the time it’s just a random irrelevant message.
尽管大多时候都是些垃圾信息
This happens even if something far more important
即使当时有更重要的事要做
was happening right in that moment.
她也是一样的反应
The sound from the phone triggers a routine
手机响声触发了一个例行程序——
in the hope for a sweet reward
希望得到甜蜜奖励
and some of that addictive dopamine.
并产生一些成瘾的多巴胺
To change a habit, journalist Charles Duhigg recommends redesigning the habit loop.
为了改变习惯 记者查尔斯建议重设习惯回路
Say you like going to the movie theater,
比如 你喜欢去电影院
but whenever you do, you eat too much of that sweet popcorn.
无论何时去那里 都会吃很多甜爆米花
In this case your trigger is the popcorn stand
此例中 你的触发事件就是
the popcorn stand that you pass by whenever you go to the movies.
去看电影时会经过爆米花摊
Your routine is buying that popcorn.
所以你的惯例就是去买爆米花
And your reward is snacking during the film.
而你的回报是能在看电影时吃零食
To change your habit,
要想改变习惯
you could keep the trigger and keep the reward,
你可以保持触发事件和奖励不变
but replace the routine.
但改变惯例
Instead of sweet, get salty popcorn.
把甜爆米花换成咸爆米花
Later maybe even fruits.
或者水果也行
If a problem gets very serious,
如果遇到比较棘手的情况
remove the trigger.
可以取消触发事件
Stop buying movie tickets.
比如不买电影票
If we can’t leave our phone alone,
如果我们不能把手机放在一边
we can turn off all the notifications.
那就关闭所有的消息提醒
And if we have friends that get us into situations that can trigger a bad habit,
如果有朋友引发我们的坏习惯
we can make new friends that don’t.
那尽量远离他们 多交益友
Some habits are tricky.
还有些习惯比较难办
Procrastination for example.
以拖延症为例
There is no clear trigger, routine or reward.
这没有明确的触发事件 惯例和回报
It just happens.
它就这样发生了
Habits like that can be changed in tiny steps
这样的习惯可以通过微小的步骤来改变
that leads to small rewards.
从而获得少量的回报
Next time you procrastinate,
下次犯拖延症的时候
try to make some short breaks in which you focus.
可以在需要集中精力的事情上稍稍放空自己
Your trigger can be the full hour on your clock.
触发事件可能是时钟整点的响声
Once you hear it, focus on your work
一旦听到时钟响 立即集中精力
even if it is just for 5 minutes.
就算每次只能坚持5分钟
After, reward yourself with a piece of chocolate.
做到的话可以奖励自己一块巧克力
The very first day you do that,
第一天这么做
you will already create some new traces in your brain
就已在大脑里创造了新的路径
and the next day some more.
第二天还会更多
After a few weeks, it will be easy to walk down that road.
之后再过几周 沿着那条路走就很容易了
Many small steps added together, make a big difference over time.
小小几步加在一起时常就会有大改变
After all, we still have our entire life in front of us.
毕竟 我们还有漫长的一生要度过
And to becomes successful, good habits are probably our best bet.
要想获得成功 好习惯是我们最好的选择
As the famous poet John Dryden wrote:
就像著名诗人约翰·德莱顿写道：
“We first make our habits, and then our habits make us.”
“我们养成了习惯 习惯又塑造了我们”
Tell us. Have you ever learn or unlearned a habit?
告诉我们 你有没有学习或忘记过一个习惯？
Please share your experience in the comments below!
请在下方评论区分享你的经历