Every habit runs on the same three-step loop, hidden inside your brain, whether you notice it or not.

• The loop is: a cue (a trigger), a routine (the behavior itself), and a reward (what you get from it).
• Once this loop repeats enough times, it becomes automatic, and your brain barely has to think about it at all.
• A part of the brain called the basal ganglia stores these loops, letting your mind relax and think about other things.
• Understanding this loop is the first step to understanding how any habit, good or bad, actually works.