‘If motivation gets you started, habits are what keep you going’: Jude Aburdan

In a TEDx talk, Jude Aburdan, a medical graduate, shared how she changed her life by forming some daily habits through the ‘habit loop method‘.

“The habit loop is a neurological loop that governs any habit. It has the ability to override old habits by creating new impulses that are stimulated by new urges or behaviours,” she explained.

Aburdan highlighted three interrelated elements this method is based on — a cue; a routine; and a reward.

“The cue is anything that triggers a habit. Cues most generally fall under either of these categories – a location, time of day, or other people,” she said.

Shifting the focus to the second element, she elaborated, “Cues push you to start your routine. The routine is the most obvious element of the habit loop since it’s the behaviour you wish to change or reinforce.”

Moving on to the third element, she said, “The reward is the reason our brains decide that the previous steps are worth remembering for the future. It provides positive reinforcement for the desired behaviour, making it more likely that you will produce this behaviour again.”

Aburdan, urging everyone to follow this method, noted, “Creating a habit loop activates certain centres in the brain whenever we perceive something. As a result, we develop the discipline to achieve anything in an effortless manner.”

“If motivation gets you started, your habits are what keep you going,” she concluded.

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