A habit loop, taken apart for fun
Back for MoreWhy does one thing keep pulling you back?
Pick one moreish everyday thing and take it apart in four stages: the trigger that sets it off, the action you take, the reward you get and the investment you have put in. Rate how hard each one pulls and watch the carousel: the harder a stage pulls, the higher its horse rides.
1 The loop free
1 Trigger
What sets it off?
2 Action
What do you do - and how easy is it?
3 Reward
What do you get out of it?
4 Investment
What have you put in that brings you back?
2 The ride report metered
One run writes a plain line for each stage, says why the strongest one pulls hardest and suggests one small move that fits what you want. The score and the verdict stay the page's own.
Pricing as soon as the session is ready...
The reply could not be read as a report. Here it is as it came back:
The page's check
4 Saved rides
How it works
The four stages are a habit loop that product designers use to make apps and games hard to put down: a trigger (a cue from outside, or a feeling inside), an action that is easy to take, a reward - best when you never quite know what you will get - and an investment you put in that makes the next round more likely. Here the loop is turned round and pointed, playfully, at the everyday things that keep bringing you back.
Each stage pulls none (0), faint (1), firm (2) or strong (3); the total is out of 12. The strongest stage is the one with the highest pull - on a tie, the earlier stage in the loop. The verdict, checked in this order: 3 or less is just watching; any stage at none, or 4 to 6, is one more go (a stage that does not pull means the loop does not close by itself); 7 to 9 is round again; 10 to 12 is all the way round.
A light reading of your own notes, not professional advice. If something feels out of control or is costing you money, sleep, health or people - gambling, drinking, smoking or anything else - please talk to someone qualified or a support service.