10% Happier with Dan Harris The Science of Habit Change, Why GLP-1s are Disrupting It, and How To Use It To Have Better Conversations | Charles Duhigg
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Aug 31, 2026 
Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer-winning journalist and bestselling author on habit formation and communication. He breaks down the cue-routine-reward habit loop and the golden rule for changing routines. He explains keystone habits and tiny starters that trigger big change. He also discusses how GLP-1 drugs create a temporary habit-change window and how to apply habit thinking to tough conversations.
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How The Habit Loop Works
- Every habit has three parts: cue, routine, and reward, which shift control from deliberative to automatic brain systems.
- Charles Duhigg explains that diagnosing cues and rewards lets you reprogram automatic patterns instead of relying on willpower.
Use The Golden Rule To Change Habits
- Change habits by keeping the old cue and reward but swapping the routine in the middle.
- Duhigg calls this the golden rule of habit change and says it rewires basal ganglia patterns without trying to extinguish circuitry.
Why Keystone Habits Trigger Cascades
- Some habits act as keystone habits that trigger cascades across unrelated behaviors, e.g., exercise often improves diet, spending, and productivity.
- Duhigg links keystone effects to shifts in self-identity and revealed preferences, not mere actions.
