Make It Attractive: Temptation Bundling and Dopamine Hacking

In our last few episodes, we've mastered the Cue stage of the Habit Loop by making good habits obvious and bad habits invisible. But a clear cue isn't enough if the **Craving**—the motivation to act—is weak.

This leads us to the **Second Law of Behavior Change:** Make It Attractive.

🤩 Law 2: Make It Attractive

Habits are a dopamine-driven feedback loop. When you expect a reward, your brain releases dopamine, which generates the motivation to act. To make a habit stick, we must make it feel less like a chore and more like something we genuinely anticipate.

1. The Strategy: Temptation Bundling

The most practical way to make a habit attractive is to use a strategy called Temptation Bundling. This involves pairing an action you **need** to do with an action you **want** to do.

You effectively leverage the high-craving activity to serve as a reward for performing the low-craving activity.

The Temptation Bundling Formula

Use this two-part formula to create your bundle:

1. AFTER I [HABIT I NEED TO DO], I will [HABIT I WANT TO DO].

• Example 1 (Exercise): "After I ride my stationary bike for 20 minutes, I will watch my favorite reality TV show." (You can only watch the show while exercising.)
• Example 2 (Chores): "After I clean the dishes, I will listen to the new podcast I've been excited about."
• Example 3 (Work): "After I finish filing my taxes, I will enjoy a five-minute break to play a mobile game."

The Core Principle: You are teaching your brain to associate the hard habit (the need) with the immediate pleasure of the desired activity (the want).

2. Dopamine Hacking: Join a Culture Where Your Desired Behavior is Normal

Humans are creatures of social conformity. We naturally crave acceptance and respect from others. This is a massive dopamine driver.

You can 'hack' your dopamine system by choosing a peer group where your target behavior is the **norm.**

• If you want to read more: Join a book club. The desire to discuss the book with the group becomes a powerful social cue.
• If you want to be more fit: Join a running club or a fitness class. The craving for social belonging and camaraderie fuels your desire to show up.
• If you want to be financially savvy: Join a community or forum where discussing saving and investing strategies is the common topic.

By surrounding yourself with people who already have the habits you want, you create a powerful social reward system that makes the habit significantly more attractive.

❌ What About Bad Habits? (Invert the Craving)

To break bad habits, you must make them **unattractive.** In our next episode, we will cover the inversion of this law: how to redefine the pain and cost associated with your bad habits to reduce the craving itself.

🚀 Coming Up Next

We know how to make good habits attractive. Next, we will learn how to reduce the powerful cravings that fuel our unwanted behaviors.

Don't miss Episode 5: Invert the Craving: Redefining Your Association with Bad Habits!