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Why habits form and how to break them
The brain’s feedback loops hold the key to behavior change.
Mario Peshev
August 20, 2025
Welcome to The Smarter Brain, a curation of thought-provoking ideas and actionable reads to help you build better habits and become more productive.
Happy reading - See you on Sunday!
Cheers,
The Smarter Brain Team
Estimated Reading Time: 2 mins
3 Ideas for Better Habits
Grow with Time
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, Charles Duhigg, on the science of habits and human behavior.
“Change might not be fast and it isn't always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.”
Rewire Your Path
Loretta Graziano Breuning on the quiet circuitry of survival beneath our every choice.
“You don’t notice your neural guidance system because you built it without conscious intent. That’s why it’s hard to build new trails: You don’t know how you built the old ones.”
Habits Drive Growth
Behavioral design expert, Nir Eyal, on building focus and forming unshakable habits.
“Companies who form strong user habits enjoy several benefits to their bottom line.”
The Confidence Workbook
The Confidence Workbook is your practical guide back to the self-belief that’s always been inside you. Through insightful prompts and simple rituals, you’ll learn to dismantle habit-driven doubt and embrace genuine courage. Don’t let misplaced modesty hold you back - order now and start your journey.
Productivity Tools and Resources
Habits 101: The Neuroscience Behind Routine
Our brains are wired to make certain behaviors automatic - and that’s where the power of habits comes in. This article explains the science behind why habits are formed in the first place, diving into the basal ganglia’s central role, the dopamine feedback loop, and how cue-routine-reward cycles lock in behavioral patterns. Whether you’re trying to build a better morning routine or break a bad habit, understanding these neural processes is the first step toward meaningful change. Discover how your brain makes and breaks habits.
Leveraging Cognitive Neuroscience for Making and Breaking Real-World Habits
This peer-reviewed paper examines how insights from neuroscience can be used to build or break habits in real-life contexts. The authors outline how habit learning mechanisms interact with goal-directed behaviors, explore the influence of the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia, and suggest evidence-based techniques for behavioral change. This article is ideal for professionals and researchers looking for a cutting-edge review of how science can inform habit-based interventions. Explore neuroscience-driven strategies for habit change.
Progress Made Daily
Turn intentions into lasting habits with Coach.me. Track progress, stay accountable, and get coaching from real people who help you level up in life and work. Because growth isn’t luck-it’s daily practice.
Make Progress a Game
Habitica is your quest for better habits-disguised as a game. Build routines, break bad habits, and conquer challenges with friends, all while leveling up your character and real life.
What We're Reading
Stay ahead of the curve with the Behavioral Scientist Newsletter - a weekly digest of cutting-edge research, expert interviews, and applied insights across behavioral science. Whether you’re working in policy, design, marketing, or leadership, this newsletter equips you with the evidence-based tools and perspectives to make smarter, more human-centered decisions.
Behavioral Grooves Newsletter delivers weekly insights into how behavior patterns influence performance, productivity, and wellbeing. Designed for professionals, coaches, and changemakers, this newsletter blends research and real-world examples to help you design better habits and foster lasting growth-both personally and in teams.
Brain Food
Today I Learned: Dogs can ,,smell’’ time, detecting how scents change throughout the day. (Source)
Science: Human bones are five times stronger than steel, yet much lighter. (Source)
Have a productive rest of your week,
The Smarter Brain Team
Resource Spotlight
Small Shifts, Stronger Minds, Real Resilience
Science-backed strategies for mental health that go beyond platitudes. This curated list of 50 daily habits draws from neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science to help you build clarity, calm, and cognitive strength-one action at a time. For minds that want to grow, not just cope.
Unwire, Rewire, Repeat
This is habit change decoded by neuroscience-no fluff, no hacks, just the raw mechanisms of your brain at work. Learn how dopamine, decision loops, and neuroplasticity shape what you do-and how to reshape it. For those ready to break patterns, not promises.
The 7-Day Mind Makeover
Weekly guides dismantle myths about willpower and focus, highlight proven brain-boosting techniques, and deliver science-backed strategies to overcome distraction and mental overwhelm-empowering professionals, students, and lifelong learners to reclaim clarity, sharpen attention, and accelerate growth on their own terms.
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