Another teenager longs to give up junk food. He can begin to make this food invisible by storing the chips and cookies in a tall cabinet out of sight; just catching a glimpse of Chips-A-Hoy is a cue to eat them. To make snacks unattractive, he can consciously reflect on the disadvantages of filling food created in industrial-sized tubs and consider the advantages of giving up processed confectionery. To make it harder, he can increase the “friction” between himself and the food by keeping it out of the house entirely, so the only way to surrender is to go to the grocery store. And to make this habit unsatisfying, he can talk a friend into reporting if he slips up. The social cost of admitting weakness further corrupts the habit.
The four steps Clear suggests are based on the science of habit formation. A four-part feedback loop occurs unconsciously in the brain and drives much of our behavior: it begins with a cue that elicits a desire, then elicits a response that provides a reward. Clear’s system of creating new habits and eliminating old ones manipulates the cue-craving-response-reward cycle to generate the desired behavior change.
Atomic Habits includes more tips that teens may find helpful:
Be specific. When trying to change behavior, start by formulating an “implementation intent.” This is a short statement that states what, when, and where you will make the correction: “I will (BEHAVIOR) at (TIME) at (LOCATION).” For example, “I’m going to run for ten minutes at 3:30 on the treadmill in the basement.” Vague and broad goals are easy to overlook; an exact plan that is tailored to one’s life, much less.
Small changes add up over time. The high school freshman who decides he wants to play sports right after school doesn’t have to rethink his very existence in order to improve his fitness. By making slight adjustments to her daily habits, she can make significant progress over time. The key to strengthening habits is to do them repeatedly, day after day; it’s consistency in performing the behavior that matters, even if those adjustments seem small. Small, achievable goals—say, exercising for two minutes—can grow and lead to significant change.
Fix systems, not targets. When a teenager gives in to a Doritos craving, he may be tempted to blame himself and rethink the intended ban on junk food. Instead, he can change the system he has created to encourage better nutrition. Has the food delivery app that makes delivery easy has been deleted? Has he found an accountability partner to report his progress to? A better system will prevent you from falling into bad habits.
Don’t miss two days in a row. To err is human, especially when trying to change unconscious behavior. The important thing is to get back on track the next day. Once you change the system, immediately return to the new habit.
Thresholds are good times to change habits. Adolescence is defined by change, which gives children plenty of opportunities to try to change their behavior. The beginning of the school year, the beginning of a new semester or the transition to another sports season are natural times for children to start fresh.
Consider the social environment. Adoption of new behaviors is more natural when peers reinforce them; starting running will be easier if friends are also runners. Whether you’re trying to create new habits or break old ones, the larger environment can either help or derail the plan.
