3 How to Build Better Habits in 4 Simple Steps
如何通过4个简单步骤养成更好的习惯
IN 1898, A psychologist named Edward Thorndike conducted an experiment that would lay the foundation for our understanding of how habits form and the rules that guide our behavior. Thorndike was interested in studying the behavior of animals, and he started by working with cats.
1898年，一位名叫爱德华·桑代克的心理学家进行了一项实验，这项实验为我们理解这个问题奠定了基础习惯是如何形成的，以及指导我们行为的规则。桑代克对研究动物的行为很感兴趣，他从研究猫开始。
He would place each cat inside a device known as a puzzle box. The box was designed so that the cat could escape through a door “by some simple act, such as pulling at a loop of cord, pressing a lever, or stepping on a platform.” For example, one box contained a lever that, when pressed, would open a door on the side of the box. Once the door had been opened, the cat could dart out and run over to a bowl of food.
他会把每只猫放进一个被称为拼图盒的装置里。这个盒子被设计成猫可以通过“一些简单的动作”从门里逃脱，比如拉一圈绳子，按一个杠杆，或者踩一个平台例如，一个盒子里装有一个杠杆，当按下这个杠杆时，可以打开盒子侧面的一扇门。门一打开，猫就可以飞奔出去，跑向一碗食物。
Most cats wanted to escape as soon as they were placed inside the box. They would poke their nose into the corners, stick their paws through openings, and claw at loose objects. After a few minutes of exploration, the cats would happen to press the magical lever, the door would open, and they would escape.
大多数猫一被放进盒子里就想逃跑。它们会把鼻子伸到角落里，把爪子从洞里伸出来，用爪子抓松了的东西。经过几分钟的探索，猫会碰巧按下神奇的杠杆，门就会打开，他们就会逃跑。
Thorndike tracked the behavior of each cat across many trials. In the beginning, the animals moved around the box at random. But as soon as the lever had been pressed and the door opened, the process of learning began. Gradually, each cat learned to associate the action of pressing the lever with the reward of escaping the box and getting to the food.
桑代克通过许多试验跟踪每只猫的行为。起初，这些动物在箱子周围随意移动。但是一旦杠杆被按下，门打开，学习的过程就开始了。渐渐地，每只猫都学会了把按下操纵杆的动作和逃离盒子、拿到食物的奖励联系起来。
After twenty to thirty trials, this behavior became so automatic and habitual that the cat could escape within a few seconds. For example,
经过二十到三十次的试验，这种行为变得如此无意识和习惯性，以至于猫可以在几秒钟内逃脱。比如说,
Thorndike noted, “Cat 12 took the following times to perform the act. 160 seconds, 30 seconds, 90 seconds, 60, 15, 28, 20, 30, 22, 11, 15, 20, 12, 10, 14, 10, 8, 8, 5, 10, 8, 6, 6, 7.”
During the first three trials, the cat escaped in an average of 1.5 minutes. During the last three trials, it escaped in an average of 6.3 seconds. With practice, each cat made fewer errors and their actions became quicker and more automatic. Rather than repeat the same mistakes, the cat began to cut straight to the solution.
在前三次试验中，这只猫平均只用了1.5分钟就逃脱了。在最后三次试验中，它平均在6.3秒内逃脱。通过练习，每只猫都犯了更少的错误，它们的动作变得更快更自动。这只猫没有重复同样的错误，而是直接开始寻找解决方案。
From his studies, Thorndike described the learning process by stating, “behaviors followed by satisfying consequences tend to be repeated and those that produce unpleasant consequences are less likely to be repeated.” His work provides the perfect starting point for discussing how habits form in our own lives. It also provides answers to some fundamental questions like: What are habits? And why does the brain bother building them at all?
在他的研究中，桑代克描述了学习过程，他说，“带来满意结果的行为往往会重复，而那些产生不愉快结果的行为不太可能重复。”他的工作为讨论习惯是如何在我们自己的生活中形成提供了一个完美的起点。它还提供了一些基本问题的答案，例如:什么是习惯？为什么大脑还要费力去构建它们呢？
WHY YOUR BRAIN BUILDS HABITS
为什么你的大脑会养成习惯
A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic. The process of habit formation begins with trial and error. Whenever you encounter a new situation in life, your brain has to make a decision. How do I respond to this? The first time you come across a problem, you’re not sure how to solve it. Like Thorndike’s cat, you’re just trying things out to see what works.
习惯是一种行为，它被重复足够多的次数而成为自动的。习惯形成的过程始于尝试和错误。当你在生活中遇到新的情况时，你的大脑必须做出决定。我该如何回应？当你第一次遇到一个问题，你不知道如何解决它。就像桑代克的猫一样，你只是尝试一些东西，看看什么是有效的。
Neurological activity in the brain is high during this period. You are carefully analyzing the situation and making conscious decisions about how to act. You’re taking in tons of new information and trying to make sense of it all. The brain is busy learning the most effective course of action.
在这段时间里，大脑的神经活动很活跃。你仔细地分析情况，并有意识地决定如何行动。你正在吸收大量的新信息，并试图理解它们。大脑正忙于学习最有效的行动方案。
Occasionally, like a cat pressing on a lever, you stumble across a solution. You’re feeling anxious, and you discover that going for a run calms you down. You’re mentally exhausted from a long day of work, and you learn that playing video games relaxes you. You’re exploring, exploring, exploring, and then—BAM—a reward.
有时候，就像一只猫在压杠杆一样，你会偶然发现一个解决方案。你感到焦虑，你发现去跑步可以让你平静下来。一整天的工作让你精疲力尽，你会发现玩电子游戏可以让你放松。你在探索，探索，探索，然后—砰—一个奖励。
After you stumble upon an unexpected reward, you alter your strategy for next time. Your brain immediately begins to catalog the
当你偶然发现一个意想不到的奖励时，你可以改变下一次的策略。你的大脑立刻开始分类
events that preceded the reward. Wait a minute—that felt good. What did I do right before that?
奖励之前发生的事情。等一下--那感觉真好。在那之前我做了什么？
This is the feedback loop behind all human behavior: try, fail, learn, try differently. With practice, the useless movements fade away and the useful actions get reinforced. That’s a habit forming.
这是所有人类行为背后的反馈循环:尝试，失败，学习，尝试不同。随着练习，无用的动作逐渐消失，有用的动作得到加强。这是一个习惯的形成。
Whenever you face a problem repeatedly, your brain begins to automate the process of solving it. Your habits are just a series of automatic solutions that solve the problems and stresses you face regularly. As behavioral scientist Jason Hreha writes, “Habits are, simply, reliable solutions to recurring problems in our environment.”
每当你反复面对一个问题，你的大脑就会开始自动化解决它。你的习惯只是一系列自动化的解决方案，它们解决了你经常面对的问题和压力。正如行为科学家杰森·赫雷哈(jasonhreha)所写，“习惯是简单而可靠的解决方案，可以解决我们环境中反复出现的问题。”
As habits are created, the level of activity in the brain decreases. You learn to lock in on the cues that predict success and tune out everything else. When a similar situation arises in the future, you know exactly what to look for. There is no longer a need to analyze every angle of a situation. Your brain skips the process of trial and error and creates a mental rule: if this, then that. These cognitive scripts can be followed automatically whenever the situation is appropriate. Now, whenever you feel stressed, you get the itch to run. As soon as you walk in the door from work, you grab the video game controller. A choice that once required effort is now automatic. A habit has been created.
随着习惯的形成，大脑的活动水平就会降低。你学会锁定预测成功的线索，而忽略其他一切。当类似的情况在未来出现时，你很清楚应该寻找什么。不再需要从每个角度分析情况。你的大脑跳过了试错的过程，创造了一个心理规则:如果这个，那么那个。这些认知脚本可以在适当的情况下自动遵循。现在，每当你感到有压力，你就会渴望跑步。你一下班走进门，就会抓起游戏控制器。一个曾经需要努力的选择现在是自动的。一种习惯已经形成。
Habits are mental shortcuts learned from experience. In a sense, a habit is just a memory of the steps you previously followed to solve a problem in the past. Whenever the conditions are right, you can draw on this memory and automatically apply the same solution. The primary reason the brain remembers the past is to better predict what will work in the future.
习惯是从经验中学到的思维捷径。从某种意义上说，习惯只是你过去为解决问题所遵循的步骤的记忆。只要条件合适，您就可以利用这个内存并自动应用相同的解决方案。大脑记住过去的主要原因是为了更好地预测未来会发生什么。
Habit formation is incredibly useful because the conscious mind is the bottleneck of the brain. It can only pay attention to one problem at a time. As a result, your brain is always working to preserve your conscious attention for whatever task is most essential. Whenever possible, the conscious mind likes to pawn off tasks to the nonconscious mind to do automatically. This is precisely what happens when a habit is formed. Habits reduce cognitive load and free up mental capacity, so you can allocate your attention to other tasks.
习惯的形成是非常有用的，因为有意识的思维是大脑的瓶颈。它一次只能注意一个问题。因此，你的大脑总是在工作，以保持你对任何最重要的任务的有意识的注意力。只要有可能，有意识的头脑喜欢把任务丢给无意识的头脑去自动完成。这正是习惯形成后所发生的事情。习惯减少了认知负荷，释放了心智能力，因此你可以将注意力分配到其他任务上。
Despite their efficiency, some people still wonder about the benefits of habits. The argument goes like this: “Will habits make my life dull? I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into a lifestyle I don’t enjoy. Doesn’t
尽管它们很有效率，一些人仍然怀疑习惯的好处。争论是这样的:“习惯会使我的生活变得枯燥吗？我不想把自己归类到一种我不喜欢的生活方式。没有
so much routine take away the vibrancy and spontaneity of life?” Hardly. Such questions set up a false dichotomy. They make you think that you have to choose between building habits and attaining freedom. In reality, the two complement each other.
这么多的例行公事剥夺了生活的活力和自发性?”几乎没有。这些问题建立了一个错误的二分法。它们让你认为你必须在养成习惯和获得自由之间做出选择。事实上，两者相辅相成。
Habits do not restrict freedom. They create it. In fact, the people who don’t have their habits handled are often the ones with the least amount of freedom. Without good financial habits, you will always be struggling for the next dollar. Without good health habits, you will always seem to be short on energy. Without good learning habits, you will always feel like you’re behind the curve. If you’re always being forced to make decisions about simple tasks—when should I work out, where do I go to write, when do I pay the bills—then you have less time for freedom. It’s only by making the fundamentals of life easier that you can create the mental space needed for free thinking and creativity.
习惯不会限制自由。他们创造了它。事实上，那些习惯得不到控制的人往往是自由度最低的人。如果没有良好的理财习惯，你将一直为下一美元而挣扎。没有良好的健康习惯，你似乎总是缺乏能量。如果没有良好的学习习惯，你总会觉得自己落后于潮流。如果你总是被迫对简单的任务做出决定ーー什么时候锻炼身体，去哪里写作，什么时候付账单ーー那么你就没有太多的自由时间。只有让生活的基础变得更简单，你才能创造出自由思考和创造所需的精神空间。
Conversely, when you have your habits dialed in and the basics of life are handled and done, your mind is free to focus on new challenges and master the next set of problems. Building habits in the present allows you to do more of what you want in the future.
相反地，当你养成了习惯，生活的基本要素得到了处理和完成，你的大脑就可以自由地专注于新的挑战，并掌握下一组问题。在现在养成习惯可以让你在未来做更多你想做的事情。
THE SCIENCE OF HOW HABITS WORK
习惯如何起作用的科学
The process of building a habit can be divided into four simple steps: cue, craving, response, and reward.* Breaking it down into these fundamental parts can help us understand what a habit is, how it works, and how to improve it.
养成习惯的过程可以分为四个简单的步骤:暗示、渴望、反应和奖励。把它分解成这些基本部分可以帮助我们理解什么是习惯，它是如何工作的，以及如何改进它。
FIGURE 5: All habits proceed through four stages in the same order: cue, craving, response, and reward.
图5:所有的习惯以相同的顺序经历四个阶段:暗示、渴望、反应和奖励。
This four-step pattern is the backbone of every habit, and your brain runs through these steps in the same order each time.
这个四步模式是每个习惯的支柱，每次你的大脑以相同的顺序运行这些步骤。
First, there is the cue. The cue triggers your brain to initiate a behavior. It is a bit of information that predicts a reward. Our prehistoric ancestors were paying attention to cues that signaled the location of primary rewards like food, water, and sex. Today, we spend most of our time learning cues that predict secondary rewards like money and fame, power and status, praise and approval, love and friendship, or a sense of personal satisfaction. (Of course, these pursuits also indirectly improve our odds of survival and reproduction, which is the deeper motive behind everything we do.)
首先，这是一个暗示。这个提示触发你的大脑启动一个行为。预测回报的是一点点信息。我们的史前祖先正在注意那些暗示主要奖赏位置的信号，比如食物、水和性。今天，我们把大部分时间花在学习暗示上，这些暗示可以预测诸如金钱和名誉、权力和地位、赞扬和认可、爱情和友谊或个人满足感等次要奖励。(当然，这些追求也间接地提高了我们生存和繁衍的几率，这是我们做任何事情背后更深层次的动机。)
Your mind is continuously analyzing your internal and external environment for hints of where rewards are located. Because the cue is the first indication that we’re close to a reward, it naturally leads to a craving.
你的大脑不断地分析你的内部和外部环境，寻找奖励在哪里的线索。因为暗示是我们接近奖励的第一个迹象，它自然而然地导致了渴望。
Cravings are the second step, and they are the motivational force behind every habit. Without some level of motivation or desire— without craving a change—we have no reason to act. What you crave is not the habit itself but the change in state it delivers. You do not crave smoking a cigarette, you crave the feeling of relief it provides. You are not motivated by brushing your teeth but rather by the feeling of a clean mouth. You do not want to turn on the television, you want to be entertained. Every craving is linked to a desire to change your internal state. This is an important point that we will discuss in detail later.
渴望是第二步，它们是每个习惯背后的动力。没有某种程度的动力或欲望ーー没有渴望改变ーー我们就没有理由采取行动。你渴望的不是习惯本身，而是它带来的状态变化。你不是渴望吸烟，而是渴望它带来的解脱感。你的动机不是刷牙，而是清洁口腔的感觉。你不想打开电视，你想要娱乐。每一个渴望都与改变你内在状态的欲望有关。这是一个重要的观点，我们将在后面详细讨论。
Cravings differ from person to person. In theory, any piece of information could trigger a craving, but in practice, people are not motivated by the same cues. For a gambler, the sound of slot machines can be a potent trigger that sparks an intense wave of desire. For someone who rarely gambles, the jingles and chimes of the casino are just background noise. Cues are meaningless until they are interpreted. The thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the observer are what transform a cue into a craving.
渴望因人而异。理论上，任何一条信息都可能引发渴望，但实际上，人们并不是被同样的暗示所激励。对于一个赌徒来说，老虎机的声音可能是一个强有力的触发器，激发出强烈的欲望浪潮。对于一个很少赌博的人来说，赌场的叮当声和钟声只是背景噪音。线索在被解释之前是没有意义的。观察者的想法、感觉和情绪是将线索转化为渴望的东西。
The third step is the response. The response is the actual habit you perform, which can take the form of a thought or an action. Whether a response occurs depends on how motivated you are and how much friction is associated with the behavior. If a particular action requires more physical or mental effort than you are willing to expend, then you won’t do it. Your response also depends on your ability. It sounds simple, but a habit can occur only if you are capable of doing it. If you want to dunk a basketball but can’t jump high enough to reach the hoop, well, you’re out of luck.
第三步是回应。反应就是你实际表现出来的习惯，可以表现为一种思想或一种行动。是否做出回应取决于你的动力有多大，以及与这种行为有多少摩擦。如果一个特定的行为需要比你愿意付出的更多的身体或精神上的努力，那么你就不会去做。你的反应也取决于你的能力。这听起来很简单，但是只有当你有能力去做的时候，习惯才会出现。如果你如果你想灌篮，但不能跳到足够高的地方去投篮，那你就不走运了。
Finally, the response delivers a reward. Rewards are the end goal of every habit. The cue is about noticing the reward. The craving is about wanting the reward. The response is about obtaining the reward. We chase rewards because they serve two purposes: (1) they satisfy us and (2) they teach us.
最后，回应会给出一个奖励。奖励是每个习惯的最终目标。暗示是关于注意到奖励。渴望就是想要得到回报。这种反应是为了获得奖励。我们追求奖励是因为它们有两个目的:(1)它们使我们满意;(2)它们教我们。
The first purpose of rewards is to satisfy your craving. Yes, rewards provide benefits on their own. Food and water deliver the energy you need to survive. Getting a promotion brings more money and respect. Getting in shape improves your health and your dating prospects. But the more immediate benefit is that rewards satisfy your craving to eat or to gain status or to win approval. At least for a moment, rewards deliver contentment and relief from craving.
奖励的第一个目的是满足你的渴望。是的，奖励本身就提供了好处。食物和水提供你生存所需的能量。获得晋升会带来更多的金钱和尊重。塑身可以改善你的健康状况和约会前景。但是更直接的好处是奖励能满足你吃东西或者获得地位或者赢得认可的渴望。至少在一段时间内，奖励能带来满足和从渴望中解脱出来。
Second, rewards teach us which actions are worth remembering in the future. Your brain is a reward detector. As you go about your life, your sensory nervous system is continuously monitoring which actions satisfy your desires and deliver pleasure. Feelings of pleasure and disappointment are part of the feedback mechanism that helps your brain distinguish useful actions from useless ones. Rewards close the feedback loop and complete the habit cycle.
其次，奖励教会我们哪些行为在未来值得记住。你的大脑是一个奖励探测器。在你的生活中，你的感官神经系统不断监测哪些行为满足了你的欲望并带来了快乐。快乐和失望的感觉是反馈机制的一部分，帮助你的大脑区分有用的行动和无用的行动。奖励关闭反馈循环，完成习惯循环。
If a behavior is insufficient in any of the four stages, it will not become a habit. Eliminate the cue and your habit will never start. Reduce the craving and you won’t experience enough motivation to act. Make the behavior difficult and you won’t be able to do it. And if the reward fails to satisfy your desire, then you’ll have no reason to do it again in the future. Without the first three steps, a behavior will not occur. Without all four, a behavior will not be repeated.
如果一个行为在以上四个阶段中的任何一个都是不够的，那么它就不会成为一种习惯。消除暗示，你的习惯将永远不会开始。减少渴望，你就不会有足够的动力去行动。让这种行为变得困难，你就做不到了。如果奖励不能满足你的欲望，那么你将没有理由在未来再做一次。如果没有前三个步骤，行为就不会发生。没有这四个因素，一个行为将不会重复。
THE HABIT LOOP
习惯循环
FIGURE 6: The four stages of habit are best described as a feedback loop. They form an endless cycle that is running every moment you are alive. This “habit loop” is continually scanning the environment, predicting what will happen next, trying out different responses, and learning from the results.*
图6:习惯的四个阶段最好用反馈回路来描述。它们形成了一个无止境的循环，在你活着的每一刻都在运转。这个“习惯循环”不断地扫描环境，预测接下来会发生什么，尝试不同的反应，并从结果中学习。
In summary, the cue triggers a craving, which motivates a response, which provides a reward, which satisfies the craving and, ultimately, becomes associated with the cue. Together, these four steps form a neurological feedback loop—cue, craving, response, reward; cue, craving, response, reward—that ultimately allows you to create automatic habits. This cycle is known as the habit loop.
总之，暗示触发了渴望，激发了回应，提供了奖励，满足了渴望，并最终与暗示联系在一起。这四个步骤合在一起形成了一个神经反馈循环ーー暗示、渴望、反应、奖励;暗示、渴望、反应、奖励ーー最终使你形成自动的习惯。这个循环被称为习惯循环。
This four-step process is not something that happens occasionally, but rather it is an endless feedback loop that is running and active during every moment you are alive—even now. The brain is continually scanning the environment, predicting what will happen next, trying out different responses, and learning from the results. The entire process is completed in a split second, and we use it again and again without realizing everything that has been packed into the previous moment.
这个四步过程不是偶尔发生的事情，而是一个无休止的反馈循环，在你活着的每一刻——即使是现在——都在运行和积极。大脑不断地扫描环境，预测接下来会发生什么，尝试不同的反应，并从结果中学习。整个过程在一瞬间完成，我们一遍又一遍地使用它，却没有意识到前一刻所包含的一切。
We can split these four steps into two phases: the problem phase and the solution phase. The problem phase includes the cue and the craving, and it is when you realize that something needs to change. The solution phase includes the response and the reward, and it is when you take action and achieve the change you desire.
我们可以将这四个步骤分成两个阶段:问题阶段和解决阶段。问题阶段包括暗示和渴望，当你意识到有些事情需要改变时。解决方案阶段包括回应和奖励，也就是当你采取行动并实现你想要的改变时。
Problem phase
Cue
Craving
Solution phase
Response
Reward
All behavior is driven by the desire to solve a problem. Sometimes the problem is that you notice something good and you want to obtain it. Sometimes the problem is that you are experiencing pain and you want to relieve it. Either way, the purpose of every habit is to solve the problems you face.
所有的行为都是由解决问题的欲望驱动的。有时候，问题是你注意到了一些好的东西，你想要得到它。有时问题在于你正在经历痛苦，你想要缓解它。不管怎样，每个习惯的目的都是为了解决你面临的问题。
In the table on the following page, you can see a few examples of what this looks like in real life.
在下面的表格中，你可以看到一些实际生活中的例子。
Imagine walking into a dark room and flipping on the light switch. You have performed this simple habit so many times that it occurs without thinking. You proceed through all four stages in the fraction of a second. The urge to act strikes you without thinking.
想象一下走进一个黑暗的房间，按下电灯开关。这个简单的习惯你已经做过很多次了，以至于你不假思索地就养成了它。你在一秒钟的时间里完成了所有的四个步骤。行动的冲动不假思索地袭击了你。
Problem phase
问题阶段
Cue: Your phone buzzes with a new text message.
提示:你的手机会响起一条新的短信。
Craving: You want to learn the contents of the message.
渴望:你想要学习信息的内容。
Solution phase
解决方案阶段
Response: You grab your phone and read the text.
回应:你拿起手机，阅读短信。
Reward: You satisfy your craving to read the message. Grabbing your phone becomes associated with your phone buzzing.
奖励:满足你阅读信息的渴望。抓起你的手机就会让你的手机嗡嗡作响。
Problem phase
问题阶段
Cue: You are answering emails.
提示:你在回复邮件。
Craving: You begin to feel stressed and overwhelmed by work. You want to feel in control.
渴望:你开始感到工作压力重重，不堪重负。你想要掌控一切。
Solution phase
解决方案阶段
Response: You bite your nails.
回应:你咬指甲。
Reward: You satisfy your craving to reduce stress. Biting your nails becomes associated with answering email.
奖励:满足你减压的渴望。咬指甲变得和回复邮件有关。
Problem phase
问题阶段
Cue: You wake up.
提示:你醒了。
Craving: You want to feel alert.
渴望:你想要警觉。
Solution phase
解决方案阶段
Response: You drink a cup of coffee.
回应:你喝一杯咖啡。
Reward: You satisfy your craving to feel alert. Drinking coffee becomes associated with waking up.
奖励:你满足了自己想保持清醒的渴望。喝咖啡会让你醒来。
Problem phase
问题阶段
Cue: You smell a doughnut shop as you walk down the street near your office.
提示:当你沿着办公室附近的街道走时，你闻到了一家甜甜圈店的味道。
Craving: You begin to crave a doughnut.
渴望:你开始渴望甜甜圈。
Solution phase
解决方案阶段
Response: You buy a doughnut and eat it.
回应:你买了一个甜甜圈，然后吃了它。
Reward: You satisfy your craving to eat a doughnut. Buying a doughnut becomes associated with walking down the street near your office.
奖励:你满足了吃甜甜圈的渴望。买一个甜甜圈会让你联想到在你办公室附近的街道上散步。
Problem phase
问题阶段
Cue: You hit a stumbling block on a project at work.
提示:你在工作中遇到了一个项目的绊脚石。
Craving: You feel stuck and want to relieve your frustration.
渴望:你感觉被困住了，想要释放你的挫败感。
Solution phase
解决方案阶段
Response: You pull out your phone and check social media.
回应:你拿出手机查看社交媒体。
Reward: You satisfy your craving to feel relieved. Checking social media becomes associated with feeling stalled at work.
奖励:你满足了自己对放松的渴望。检查社交媒体会让你在工作中感到停滞不前。
Problem phase
问题阶段
Cue: You walk into a dark room.
提示:你走进一个黑暗的房间。
Craving: You want to be able to see.
渴望:你希望能够看到。
Solution phase
解决方案阶段
Response: You flip the light switch.
回应:你打开电灯开关。
Reward: You satisfy your craving to see. Turning on the light switch becomes associated with being in a dark room.
奖励:满足你想看的渴望。打开电灯开关就会让人联想到在一个黑暗的房间里。
By the time we become adults, we rarely notice the habits that are running our lives. Most of us never give a second thought to the fact that we tie the same shoe first each morning, or unplug the toaster after each use, or always change into comfortable clothes after getting home from work. After decades of mental programming, we automatically slip into these patterns of thinking and acting.
当我们成年的时候，我们很少注意到我们生活中的习惯。我们大多数人从来没有想过每天早上先系同一只鞋，或者每次用完后拔掉烤箱的插头，或者下班回家后总是换上舒适的衣服。经过几十年的思维编程，我们自然而然地陷入了这些思考和行动的模式。
THE FOUR LAWS OF BEHAVIOR CHANGE
行为改变的四大法则
In the following chapters, we will see time and again how the four stages of cue, craving, response, and reward influence nearly everything we do each day. But before we do that, we need to transform these four steps into a practical framework that we can use to design good habits and eliminate bad ones.
在接下来的章节中，我们将一次又一次地看到暗示、渴望、反应和奖励这四个阶段是如何影响我们每天所做的几乎所有事情的。但在此之前，我们需要把这四个步骤转化成一个实用的框架，我们可以用它来设计好的习惯，消除坏的习惯。
I refer to this framework as the Four Laws of Behavior Change, and it provides a simple set of rules for creating good habits and breaking bad ones. You can think of each law as a lever that influences human behavior. When the levers are in the right positions, creating good habits is effortless. When they are in the wrong positions, it is nearly impossible.
我把这个框架称为行为改变的四大法则，它提供了一套简单的规则，用于培养好习惯和改掉坏习惯。你可以把每一条法律看作是影响人类行为的杠杆。当杠杆处于正确的位置时，培养良好的习惯是不费力的。当他们处于错误的位置时，这几乎是不可能的。
How to Create a Good Habit
The 1st law (Cue): Make it obvious.
第一条法则(暗示):让它显而易见。
The 2nd law (Craving): Make it attractive.
第二定律(渴望):使它具有吸引力。
The 3rd law (Response): Make it easy.
第三定律(回应):让它变得简单。
The 4th law (Reward): Make it satisfying.
第四定律(奖励):让它令人满意。
We can invert these laws to learn how to break a bad habit.
我们可以颠倒这些定律来学习如何打破坏习惯。
How to Break a Bad Habit
如何改掉坏习惯
Inversion of the 1st law (Cue): Make it invisible.
第一定律的反转(提示):让它不可见。
Inversion of the 2nd law (Craving): Make it unattractive.
第二定律反转(渴望):使它不吸引人。
Inversion of the 3rd law (Response): Make it difficult.
第三定律的反演(回应):使它变得困难。
Inversion of the 4th law (Reward): Make it unsatisfying.
第四定律反转(奖励):使它不令人满意。
It would be irresponsible for me to claim that these four laws are an exhaustive framework for changing any human behavior, but I think they’re close. As you will soon see, the Four Laws of Behavior Change apply to nearly every field, from sports to politics, art to medicine, comedy to management. These laws can be used no matter what challenge you are facing. There is no need for completely different strategies for each habit.
声称这四条法则是改变人类行为的详尽框架是不负责任的，但我认为它们很接近。你很快就会看到，行为改变的四大法则适用于几乎所有领域，从体育到政治，从艺术到医学，从喜剧到管理。无论你面临什么样的挑战，这些法律都可以适用。没有必要为每个习惯制定完全不同的策略。
Whenever you want to change your behavior, you can simply ask yourself:
无论何时你想要改变你的行为，你可以简单地问问自己:
How can I make it obvious?
How can I make it attractive?
How can I make it easy?
How can I make it satisfying?
我怎样才能让它显而易见呢？
我怎样才能使它具有吸引力？
我怎样才能让它变得简单呢？
我怎样才能使它令人满意？
If you have ever wondered, “Why don’t I do what I say I’m going to do? Why don’t I lose the weight or stop smoking or save for retirement or start that side business? Why do I say something is important but never seem to make time for it?” The answers to those questions can be found somewhere in these four laws. The key to creating good habits and breaking bad ones is to understand these fundamental laws and how to alter them to your specifications. Every goal is doomed to fail if it goes against the grain of human nature.
如果你想知道，“为什么我不做我说我要做的事情？为什么我不减肥、戒烟、为退休存钱或者开始做副业呢？为什么我总是说一些重要的事情，却从来没有腾出时间去做呢?”这些问题的答案可以在这四条定律中找到。养成好习惯和改掉坏习惯的关键在于理解这些基本规律，以及如何根据自己的要求改变它们。任何目标如果违背人性的本质，都注定要失败。
Your habits are shaped by the systems in your life. In the chapters that follow, we will discuss these laws one by one and show how you can use them to create a system in which good habits emerge naturally and bad habits wither away.
你的习惯是由你生活中的系统塑造的。在接下来的章节中，我们将逐一讨论这些法则，并展示如何利用它们来创建一个系统，在这个系统中，好习惯会自然地产生，坏习惯会消失。
Chapter Summary
A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic.
习惯是一种行为，它被重复足够多的次数而成为自动的。
The ultimate purpose of habits is to solve the problems of life with as little energy and effort as possible.
习惯的最终目的是用尽可能少的精力和努力来解决生活中的问题。
Any habit can be broken down into a feedback loop that involves four steps: cue, craving, response, and reward.
任何习惯都可以分解成一个反馈循环，包括四个步骤:暗示、渴望、反应和奖励。
The Four Laws of Behavior Change are a simple set of rules we can use to build better habits. They are (1) make it obvious, (2) make it attractive, (3) make it easy, and (4) make it satisfying.
行为改变的四大法则是一套简单的规则，我们可以用它来养成更好的习惯。他们是(1)使它明显，(2)使它有吸引力，(3)使它容易，(4)使它令人满意。
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