The importance of flexibility in forming habits

The book emphasizes the importance of flexibility in forming habits, as too much rigidity can hinder the development of a good habit. A study conducted at Google with 2,500 employees revealed that while one group was encouraged to consistently go to the gym at a specific time, another group was encouraged to go whenever convenient. Surprisingly, the group with more varied gym visits formed a stickier habit. The data showed that the rigid group often missed their gym session if they couldn't go at the usual time, while the flexible group had a fallback plan, resulting in more frequent gym visits. This research highlighted that having some flexibility is an important component of forming a lasting habit.