But it's tough because no matter how hard I try, I seem to slip back into the same old routines again and again.

但這很困難，因為無論多努力，一切似乎還是一而再，再而三回到原點。

In the last decade, we've learned a lot about how habits work.

近十年來，我們知道了許多「習慣運作機制」。

That's Charles Duhigg, author of the book, "The Power of Habit."

剛剛說話的是《The Power of Habit》的作者 Charles Duhigg。

And in particular we've learned the neurological structure of a habit.

尤其我們知道了習慣的神經結構。

He says we tend to think of habits as a single thing, but actually, each habit has three components.

他說：我們往往認為習慣是單一事件，但事實上，每一個習慣都由三個部分組成。

There's a cue which is like a trigger for a behavior to start, and then there is a routine which is the behavior itself,

會有一個觸發行為產生的提示，重複的行為也就是行為本身，

and then finally a reward, which is how our brain learns to encode that automatic behavior for the future.

以及最後所得到的回饋，這就是我們的大腦如何在後來把反射性的行為變成習慣

And one of the big differences is that for years when people thought about habits, they focused in on the routine, on the behavior.

而最大差異在於，多年以來，人們想到習慣時，總是把焦點放在週而復始的行為。

But what we now know is that it's these cues and these rewards that really shape how habits occur and how to change them.

但我們現在知道正是這些提示與回饋真正決定了我們習慣的生成以及我們如何能改變它們。

And Charles says that whether we like it or not, this kind of habit formation is endemic to our brain.

Charles 說，不管我們喜不喜歡，這種習慣的運作模式是大腦特有的。

And what it will do is our brain will latch on to a cue that it associates to the behavior and the particular reward.

而這樣的模式，會讓大腦將習慣的觸發點與行為及得到的特定回饋連結。

And over time, that cue and that reward become more and more and more sort of intertwined.

而經過一再重複，觸發點與回饋就會連結得越來越緊密。

The inner part of your brain, the basal ganglia will relate them together.

在你的大腦內，這些基本的神經便會相連。

And the behavior that is associated with that, that will just sort of happen automatically.

而這些與上述有關的行為便會開始自動執行。

But Charles says the good news is we can also use this knowledge to our advantage.

但 Charles 說，好消息是我們可以運用這些知識達到助益。

There was a big study that was done about how to create exercise habits.

有個關於如何建立運動習慣的研究。

And so what they did is they told a group of people, "Okay, first of all choose an obvious cue:

他們告訴一群人：「首先，先設定一個明確的提示或觸發點，

always go running at the same time every day or put your workout clothes next to your bed, so that you see them first thing when you wake up."

像是每天在固定時間去跑步，或把運動服放在床邊，讓自己起床第一眼就可以看到。」

And then they said, "Go for a run or go workout and when you get back from exercising, give yourself a small piece of chocolate."

接著，他們說：「去跑步或健身吧！而運動回來時，給自己一小片巧克力。」

Now this is kind of counterintuitive, right?

這樣有點反其道而行，不是嗎？

Because people who are exercising are trying to lose weight not eat more chocolate.

因為運動的人是要減重，而不是吃更多巧克力。

And yet what the researchers knew is that their brain needed that reward.

但研究者卻知道大腦需要這樣的回饋。

The basal ganglia needed some reward.

腦部基底核需要回饋。

What they found was that people who ate a small piece of chocolate after coming home from a run or a workout, they were much more likely to start exercising habitually.

他們發現，跑完步或健身完，回家後有吃片巧克力的人更容易建立運動習慣。

So, according to Charles, whether you want to break a habit, or start a new habit, the key is to divide the habit into its component parts:

所以，根據 Charles 所言，無論你是要戒斷或養成習慣，關鍵在於將習慣分解成：

cue, routine and reward, and design it for the result that you want.

觸發點、重複的行為及回饋，並藉由規劃得到想要的結果。

Hey, guys. My name is Kirsten from Epipheo and we would love to hear from you about what you think a great reward is for you to make or break a habit.

嗨！我是 Epipheo 的 Kirsten。我們想知道你認為什麼回饋對養成或戒除習慣有幫助。

So, leave us a comment down below in the comment section to let us know.

歡迎在下方留言區留言回覆，讓我們知道。

We come out with a video every week that we hope will change your life.

我們每週都會發布一支影片，希望能改變大家的生活。

And next week we are talking about how you can say, "No" to pretty much anything.

下週，我們將談談如何在各方面拒絕別人。

So hit subscribe and we will see you next week!

趕快訂閱頻道！我們下週見！