The 4th Law: Make It Satisfying

In the late 1990s, Stephen Luby, a public health worker, moved to Karachi, Pakistan, to address the city's severe public health crisis caused by poor sanitation. Despite knowing the importance of handwashing, many residents were inconsistent with the habit due to a lack of pleasurable experience while washing hands. Luby partnered with Procter & Gamble to introduce Safeguard soap, which lathered well and smelled pleasant. This made handwashing a more satisfying experience, leading to significant health improvements: a 52% reduction in diarrhea, 48% in pneumonia, and 35% in impetigo. Six years later, 95% of the intervention group continued handwashing regularly.

This example underscores the fourth and final Law of Behavior Change: make it satisfying. We are more likely to repeat behaviors that provide immediate pleasure. The history of chewing gum and flavored toothpaste further illustrates this. Adding flavors made these products more enjoyable, leading to widespread adoption.

In modern society, many of our actions have delayed rewards, which conflicts with our brain's preference for instant gratification. Behavioral economists call this time inconsistency—the tendency to prioritize immediate rewards over future benefits. This is why bad habits, like smoking or overeating, persist despite their long-term costs being higher. The best way to ensure good habits stick is to add a sense of immediate success, even if it's minor.

Immediate Reinforcement

Early stages of habit formation often feel like sacrifices because the long-term rewards are not immediately visible. Small bits of immediate reinforcement can bridge this gap. For instance, seeing money in a savings account accrue instantly when avoiding unnecessary purchases can make the habit of saving more satisfying.

To prevent bad habits, it's effective to introduce immediate punishments. This approach can be formalized through habit contracts, where commitments and penalties for breaking the habit are agreed upon with accountability partners.

The Habit Contract

Bryan Harris’s experience with a habit contract illustrates its effectiveness. He wrote a contract involving his wife and personal trainer, which included penalties for non-compliance. This formality and the potential social cost of failing publicized penalties—like wearing formal attire every day—helped him achieve his weight loss goals.

In summary, to make habits stick: - Make them immediately satisfying to encourage repetition. - Use immediate reinforcements during the early stages. - Construct habit contracts with accountability partners to create social and immediate costs for undesirable actions.