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A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit | Judson Brewer | TED

TED

15.9M views 10 years ago

Warm-up Questions

What is a “bad habit”? Can you give one common example?
What simple method do you think could help someone break a bad habit?
When you hear “TED Talk,” what kind of ideas or advice do you expect?

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A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit | Judson Brewer | TED

Why habits are so powerful (reward-based learning) (00:00 – 03:06)

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1. According to the speaker, even when people try to pay attention, what often happens?

Many people drift into daydreams or feel urges to check things like social media.
They can completely stop their thoughts.
They fall asleep immediately.
They become more focused over time without effort.

2. What is the basic habit loop described in this part of the talk?

Trigger → behavior → reward
Thought → memory → personality
Belief → emotion → action
Stress → rest → success

3. What point does the speaker make about obesity and smoking?

They are caused mainly by a lack of intelligence.
They are among the leading preventable causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
They are impossible to prevent.
They mostly affect only teenagers.

A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit | Judson Brewer | TED

A twist: curiosity and mindfulness to break the loop (03:06 – 06:09)

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1. In the speaker’s mindfulness study, what surprising instruction did participants receive?

Go ahead and smoke, but be really curious about what it’s like.
Avoid thinking about smoking at all costs.
Only smoke when you are happy.
Smoke more often to build tolerance.

2. What did one participant notice when smoking mindfully?

It smelled like stinky cheese and tasted like chemicals.
It smelled like flowers and tasted sweet.
It tasted like chocolate and felt calming.
It had no taste or smell at all.

3. What happens to cognitive control when people get stressed, according to the speaker?

It is the first part of the brain that goes offline.
It turns into curiosity automatically.
It becomes stronger and more reliable.
It stops people from feeling emotions.

A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit | Judson Brewer | TED

Cravings, brain mechanisms, and practical applications (06:09 – 09:25)

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1. When people get curious about cravings, what do they start to notice?

Cravings are mainly moral failures.
Cravings are permanent and cannot be changed.
Cravings are made up of body sensations that come and go.
Cravings disappear only if you ignore them.

2. How effective was mindfulness training compared to “gold standard therapy” in one study mentioned?

It was half as effective.
It was twice as good.
It did not work at all.
It was equally effective.

3. What everyday urge does the speaker suggest using as practice if you don’t smoke or stress-eat?

The urge to buy expensive clothes.
The urge to travel to a new country.
The urge to speak in public.
The urge to check email when bored or distracted.

A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit | Judson Brewer | TED

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main strategy the speaker recommends for changing a habit?

Get curious about your direct experience of the habit and its reward.
Rely only on willpower and strict rules.
Punish yourself whenever you make a mistake.
Wait for motivation to appear naturally.

2. Why does the speaker argue that forcing yourself to change often fails?

Because habits are only genetic and cannot change.
Because changing habits always requires medication.
Because cognitive control can go offline under stress, making old habits more likely.
Because people don’t know habits are unhealthy.

3. What role does “reward-based learning” play in the talk?

It is a new theory that only applies to meditation.
It proves that habits are always beneficial.
It is mainly about childhood education.
It explains how the brain learns through trigger–behavior–reward loops.

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit | Judson Brewer | TED

Think of one habit you want to change. What is the trigger, the behavior, and the reward for you?
Do you agree that curiosity can be “naturally rewarding”? Why or why not?
The speaker says cognitive control goes offline under stress. What do you do differently when you are stressed or tired?
How could technology (apps, online programs) help people change habits—and how could it make habits worse?