My Story - Dr Prabath

By Dr. Prabath, Founder of Millionaire Health Habits & Owner of Unique Medical Cranbourne, Australia

Live Richer in Every Way

By Dr prabath

Chapter 12 of Atomic Habits focuses on the principle that humans naturally gravitate toward the path of least resistance. James Clear explains that the easier a habit is to do, the more likely it is to stick. This chapter delves into how reducing friction and simplifying habits can dramatically improve your ability to build good habits and break bad ones. We develop habits to conserve our mental energy. Imagine having to learn to brush your teeth, reverse the car, etc, all the time.

Human Behaviour Follows the Law of Least Effort

Clear begins by emphasising a fundamental truth about human nature: when given a choice between multiple options, people tend to choose the one that requires the least work. This is why convenience plays a huge role in habit formation. The easier a habit is to perform, the more likely you will do it consistently. That’s why we get addicted to our snart phone as it’s very convenient to check for notifications. Companies like Uber, Snapchat, Instagram, etc., have used the path of least resistance to sell their products to us. Imagine how convenient it is now to order your favourite food from your couch compared to a few years ago.

After battling my ice cream addiction for years, I finally decided, much to my kids’ despair, not to bring ice cream to my house. I was so proud of my so-called achievement till I started to order via Uber whenever I got the craving! Before the advent of Uber a few years ago, my genius solution would have worked, but with the path of least resistance being so low now, it’s not going to work

So how do you make this principle in your life better?

Imagine, if you want to read more books, a nightstand or an e-reader app on your phone makes it easier to pick up reading. Conversely, if the book is buried in a box in the attic, you’re less likely to read it regularly.

Reduce Friction to Make Good Habits Easier

Clear explains that one of the most effective ways to build good habits is to reduce the number of steps between you and your desired behaviour. This means removing obstacles and making the habit as simple and accessible as possible.

I have the strange habit of coming out of the shower at night and then, while putting on my pyjamas, picking up my gym clothes and putting them on the floor next to my bed! My wife hates this habit as she is a neat freak
I also have multiple books scattered around the house, including the bedside table, couch, etc

Increase Friction to Make Bad Habits Harder

Just as you can reduce friction to encourage good habits, you can increase friction to discourage bad ones. This means adding steps or barriers that make it more challenging to engage in unwanted behaviours.

For example, if you want to stop watching too much TV, you might unplug the television or remove batteries from the remote control. You could delete distracting apps or put your phone in another room to reduce mindless phone use.

I removed all my social media apps from my phone and my iPad. So I need to download and sign in each time I want to gossip to my friends
I always put all my TV remotes far away from the TV after each use to make it harder for me and my kids to turn on the TV

Optimise Your Environment

Clear stresses the importance of designing your environment to support your habits. Since habits are often triggered by environmental cues, making the desired behaviour easier in your environment can significantly boost habit formation.

When I built our new home before the COVID lockdown, I made sure to create an upstairs gym so that my new identity of being a healthy person is reflected in my house

We have a fresh fruit bowl full of different varieties of fruits right in front of the living room benchtop, so whenever I have the urge to snack, I snack on something healthy, compared to a few years ago when our cupboards were full of various snacks, including chocolate. We still have some chocolates in the house, which are hidden from me, as my wife and daughter realised how helpless I am in front of that small brown bar, despite my boasting of willpower!

The Role of Automation and Technology

Automation can also reduce friction. Using technology to automate parts of your habits. I have multiple alarms set up throughout the day to notify me to meditate, write my book, etc

Small Changes Compound Over Time

Clear reminds readers that small reductions in friction can have outsized effects over time. Making a habit just a little easier can lead to more frequent repetition, which compounds into significant long-term results.

For example, I have made my exercise habit very easy by putting my clothes on my bedside floor the night before and then having the gym upstairs. I also have a small kitchenette to make my coffee and have my water, etc, in my gym
Compare this set-up to a guy who is far more committed than I am to exercise and gets a gym membership for a fancy gym a few kilometres away on the opposite side of his house. Who is going to keep the exercise habit going? Despite my having less motivation, I will beat the more motivated other guy by simply making my pathway less resistant

During the COVID-19 lockdown, I got into the habit of having multiple hand sanitisers around the whole house, from the garage wall to our family car, so even now, everywhere you go, there will be a hand sanitiser near you, which has kept our new habit of handwashing easier

Practical Takeaways:

Make good habits easy: Reduce the steps between you and your desired behaviour.

Make bad habits hard: Add steps or obstacles to discourage unwanted behaviours.

Design your environment: Shape your surroundings to support your habits.

Use technology and automation: Leverage tools to minimise effort.

Focus on convenience:The easier a habit is, the more likely it will stick.

Conclusion:

Chapter 12 of Atomic Habits highlights that success in habit formation is often less about motivation and willpower and more about making the right behaviours easy to do. By reducing friction for good habits and increasing it for bad ones, you can harness the natural human tendency to follow the path of least resistance and create lasting change
Remember, I don’t have superhuman willpower, but I have modified my environment to make my bad habits harder and good ones easier