Gretchen Rubin

It becomes much more challenging to keep moving. Obviously, some people do, but it becomes harder. And I thought that was such good advice because... We might have just ended up someplace, not because we were deciding that we wanted to spend the next 30 years there, but just because we hadn't thought about it.

Or, you know, you just you miss a window of opportunity for something and not deciding is the decision.

Or, you know, you just you miss a window of opportunity for something and not deciding is the decision.

Or, you know, you just you miss a window of opportunity for something and not deciding is the decision.

I mean, yes, that's just a very helpful thing to keep in mind. Because people will say, oh, well, I'm doing this for self-care. I'm doing this because it makes me feel better. I'm doing this because I need to calm down. I need to energize myself. But if it just makes you feel worse, the minute it's over, if you've been impulse shopping or impulse snacking or impulse...

I mean, yes, that's just a very helpful thing to keep in mind. Because people will say, oh, well, I'm doing this for self-care. I'm doing this because it makes me feel better. I'm doing this because I need to calm down. I need to energize myself. But if it just makes you feel worse, the minute it's over, if you've been impulse shopping or impulse snacking or impulse...

I mean, yes, that's just a very helpful thing to keep in mind. Because people will say, oh, well, I'm doing this for self-care. I'm doing this because it makes me feel better. I'm doing this because I need to calm down. I need to energize myself. But if it just makes you feel worse, the minute it's over, if you've been impulse shopping or impulse snacking or impulse...

You have an opinion on using rewards and incentives and treats. What's your philosophy on how rewards fit into having good habits? Well, rewards are very, very dangerous when it comes to habits. Whoa. They're very dangerous. And so you have to distinguish between a reward and a treat. Treats are good. Rewards are very dangerous. So a treat is something that you get just because you want it.

You have an opinion on using rewards and incentives and treats. What's your philosophy on how rewards fit into having good habits? Well, rewards are very, very dangerous when it comes to habits. Whoa. They're very dangerous. And so you have to distinguish between a reward and a treat. Treats are good. Rewards are very dangerous. So a treat is something that you get just because you want it.

You don't earn it. You don't deserve it. You just want it. So you get it. And we should really load ourselves with healthy treats because when we give ourselves treats, we feel comforted and taken care of. And our battery gets energized. And so that gives us more self-command. And we want our self-command to be as high as possible. We want self-control.

You don't earn it. You don't deserve it. You just want it. So you get it. And we should really load ourselves with healthy treats because when we give ourselves treats, we feel comforted and taken care of. And our battery gets energized. And so that gives us more self-command. And we want our self-command to be as high as possible. We want self-control.

We want willpower to be – we want those reserves to be very high. And when you do those little things for yourself, whether it's doing a cluster puzzle on your iPad or buying yourself new music on iTunes or, you know, whatever it might be, people have all different treats, then that's good. Now, there are unhealthy treats, which are like food and drink.

We want willpower to be – we want those reserves to be very high. And when you do those little things for yourself, whether it's doing a cluster puzzle on your iPad or buying yourself new music on iTunes or, you know, whatever it might be, people have all different treats, then that's good. Now, there are unhealthy treats, which are like food and drink.

You don't want to do something to make yourself feel better that's going to end up making you feel worse. So treats are good because they boost our self-mastery and they keep us from getting into that dangerous land of feeling deprived. I need it. I've earned it. I should get this. That's when we start giving ourselves unhealthy treats. I need this.

You don't want to do something to make yourself feel better that's going to end up making you feel worse. So treats are good because they boost our self-mastery and they keep us from getting into that dangerous land of feeling deprived. I need it. I've earned it. I should get this. That's when we start giving ourselves unhealthy treats. I need this.

Rewards are bad because the reason that habits are superpowers is is that they get inside of the dangerous, draining, difficult job of using decision-making and using willpower. If it's a habit, it just happens automatically. You don't have to think about it. You don't have to judge it. You just do it automatically. I do not decide to wake up at 6 a.m. I do not decide whether to take dessert.

Rewards are bad because the reason that habits are superpowers is is that they get inside of the dangerous, draining, difficult job of using decision-making and using willpower. If it's a habit, it just happens automatically. You don't have to think about it. You don't have to judge it. You just do it automatically. I do not decide to wake up at 6 a.m. I do not decide whether to take dessert.

I just know. And that happens automatically. It doesn't take anything from me. And so that frees up my mind and it frees me from having to use my self-control because It doesn't take any health control. I know exactly what I'm going to do and I do it. A reward, though, always requires a decision. Have you earned your reward?

I just know. And that happens automatically. It doesn't take anything from me. And so that frees up my mind and it frees me from having to use my self-control because It doesn't take any health control. I know exactly what I'm going to do and I do it. A reward, though, always requires a decision. Have you earned your reward?

And that interferes with a habit because I'm saying, well, if I run, I get to have a beer. Well, I ran half today. Do I get a beer? But I hurt my foot, so I really couldn't run, but I still want the beer. Do I get the beer? I'm on vacation. Who could run? I should get the beer. And then sometimes what happens is you make a habit of reward, and the habit itself falls away.