2. The Craving Brain - Creating new habits

Two basic rules - simple and obvious cue and clearly defined rewards

Once the cue occurs and the habit kicks in and the reward is received, the pleasure centres in the brain light up. As the habit becomes stronger and stronger, our brains begin anticipating the reward as soon as the cue appears. The cue triggers not only the routine but the pleasure centre in the brain as well. If the reward is not received at the end of the routine or it is delayed, a neurological pattern associated with desire and frustration erupts. The reward becomes a craving and if unsatisfied, leads to anger or depression.

Once a habit is developed - the brain starts anticipating the reward which becomes a craving. Thats why habits are so powerful. They create neurological cravings. Most of the time, these cravings emerge so gradually that we are not really aware they exist, so we are often blind to their influence.

But as we associate cues with certain rewards, a subconscious craving emerges in our brain that starts spinning the habit loop.

This is how new habits are created: by putting together a cue, a routine and a reward, and then cultivating a craving that drives the loop.

More examples:

Smoking

When a smoker sees a cue - say, a pack of cigarettes - their brain starts anticipating a hit of nicotine rush. If it doesn't arrive, the craving grows until the smoker reaches, unthinkingly, for a cigarette.

Mobile addiction

When a smartphone vibrates with a new message, the brain starts anticipating the momentary distraction. That expectation , if unsatisfied, can build and compel to check the phone. On the other hand, if someone disables the buzzing and thus removed the cue - people can work for hours without thinking to check their mobiles.

There are mechanisms that can help us ignore the temptations. But to overpower the habit, we must recognise which craving is driving the behaviour.

Regular runners or gymmers get the habit going because they crave the reward they get from working out. It may be "feel good" for some or a "sense of accomplishment" for others.

Studies have shown that a cue and a reward on their own are not enough for a new habit to last. Only when the brain starts expecting the reward - craving - will it become automatic.

The advent of toothbrushing habit

The cue and reward that fuelled the habit and made Pepsodent world famous.

The Pepsodent advertisers created a craving. And that craving, it turns out, is what makes cues and rewards work. That craving is what powers the habit loop.

To sell pepsodent, they needed a trigger that would justify the toothpaste's daily use. 

The cue they used was the film that deposits on the teeth. They claimed that it makes teeth look off-color and invites decay.  They claimed that Pepsodent removes the film and gives beautiful teeth.

The brilliance of this strategy was that it relied upon a cue - tooth film - that was universal and impossible to ignore. The reward was more enticing - who doesn't want to be more beautiful? Who doesn't want a prettier smile? Particularly when all it takes is a quick brush with Pepsodent?

Within a decade, Pepsodent was one of the the best selling goods in the world. 

 But this was not enough. Pepsodent also created a craving. Unlike other toothpastes, Pepsodent contained citric acid and doses of mint oil which created a cool tingling sensation on the tongue and gums.If the customers forgot to use Pepsodent, they realised their mistake because they missed that cool tingling sensation in their mouths. They craved the sensation. If it wasn't there, their mouths didn't feel clean. So Pepsodent was not selling clean teeth, it was selling a sensation. Once people equated the sensation with cleanliness, brushing became a habit.

Before Pepsodent appeared, only 7% of Americans had a tube of toothpaste in their homes. This number jumped to 65%. 

Within a few decades, almost every toothpaste contained chemicals that caused gums to tingle. Consumers need some kind of signal that a product is working. The tingling doesn't make the toothpaste work any better. It just convinces people its doing the job.