1 01:00:00,500 --> 01:00:03,041 Good morning and welcome 2 01:00:03,041 --> 01:00:04,708 to your morning cereal. 3 01:00:08,833 --> 01:00:10,208 Okay, good morning and 4 01:00:10,208 --> 01:00:11,291 welcome to Wednesday. 5 01:00:11,666 --> 01:00:13,500 You are at the halfway point 6 01:00:13,500 --> 01:00:14,750 where you either feel 7 01:00:14,750 --> 01:00:16,208 unstoppable this week 8 01:00:16,708 --> 01:00:18,875 or maybe you're negotiating with yourself 9 01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:20,458 about how early Friday 10 01:00:20,458 --> 01:00:22,291 can technically start. 11 01:00:22,958 --> 01:00:24,166 Either way, let's start 12 01:00:24,166 --> 01:00:25,916 today on the right side. 13 01:00:26,291 --> 01:00:29,166 Today is international waffle day. 14 01:00:29,500 --> 01:00:30,916 Now, my grandma, she used 15 01:00:30,916 --> 01:00:32,541 to put full strips of bacon 16 01:00:32,708 --> 01:00:34,500 into waffles, so good. 17 01:00:34,708 --> 01:00:36,708 And I'd highly recommend you trying it. 18 01:00:36,708 --> 01:00:37,583 I think it probably actually 19 01:00:37,583 --> 01:00:38,666 makes them healthier, right? 20 01:00:38,666 --> 01:00:39,875 Little bit of protein in there. 21 01:00:40,458 --> 01:00:41,708 All right, well, the answer 22 01:00:41,708 --> 01:00:43,875 to yesterday's trivia question, jewel. 23 01:00:44,083 --> 01:00:46,083 The measurement for energy is the jewel. 24 01:00:46,750 --> 01:00:47,916 And now it is time for 25 01:00:47,916 --> 01:00:48,958 the essential vitamins 26 01:00:48,958 --> 01:00:50,000 in your morning cereal. 27 01:00:50,000 --> 01:00:51,875 Today's quote is from birthday girl, 28 01:00:52,125 --> 01:00:54,041 Sarah Jessica Parker, 29 01:00:54,583 --> 01:00:55,916 turning 61 today. 30 01:00:56,250 --> 01:00:57,166 She said this, quote, 31 01:00:57,458 --> 01:00:58,625 "Sometimes the best 32 01:00:58,625 --> 01:01:00,416 fashion statement is competence." 33 01:01:01,333 --> 01:01:02,791 Now, your morning decode, 34 01:01:03,333 --> 01:01:04,541 the way you carry 35 01:01:04,541 --> 01:01:06,208 yourself is more impactful 36 01:01:06,541 --> 01:01:08,708 than the actual clothes you wear, right? 37 01:01:09,208 --> 01:01:10,291 All right, well, let's go ahead and hear 38 01:01:10,291 --> 01:01:11,333 from the experts now. 39 01:01:11,333 --> 01:01:12,333 It is time to pour in some 40 01:01:12,333 --> 01:01:14,500 atomic habits by James Clear. 41 01:01:15,125 --> 01:01:17,041 And today's focus is why 42 01:01:17,041 --> 01:01:19,041 your brain builds habits. 43 01:01:19,333 --> 01:01:20,250 Now we're getting into the 44 01:01:20,250 --> 01:01:21,833 soups and nuts of chapter three. 45 01:01:22,333 --> 01:01:23,500 And Clear explains that 46 01:01:23,500 --> 01:01:24,500 habits are fundamentally 47 01:01:24,791 --> 01:01:25,666 about efficiency. 48 01:01:26,375 --> 01:01:27,250 The brain is always 49 01:01:27,250 --> 01:01:28,458 trying to conserve energy 50 01:01:28,500 --> 01:01:30,083 and habits are its way of 51 01:01:30,083 --> 01:01:32,333 automatically repeating behavior 52 01:01:32,541 --> 01:01:33,625 so you don't have to 53 01:01:33,625 --> 01:01:34,958 think about them constantly. 54 01:01:35,500 --> 01:01:36,125 He writes this, 55 01:01:36,125 --> 01:01:37,333 "Habits are mental shortcuts 56 01:01:37,500 --> 01:01:38,666 learned from experience." 57 01:01:38,958 --> 01:01:39,250 End quote. 58 01:01:39,875 --> 01:01:41,166 So imagine if every morning 59 01:01:41,166 --> 01:01:42,625 you had to consciously think 60 01:01:42,750 --> 01:01:45,041 through every step, brushing your teeth, 61 01:01:45,041 --> 01:01:46,416 getting dressed, making coffee. 62 01:01:46,833 --> 01:01:47,791 It would be exhausting. 63 01:01:48,416 --> 01:01:50,416 Habits eliminate that mental load 64 01:01:50,416 --> 01:01:51,291 by turning repeated 65 01:01:51,291 --> 01:01:53,375 actions into automatic routines. 66 01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:55,583 Now, Clear also points out 67 01:01:55,583 --> 01:01:57,208 that habits free up brain power 68 01:01:57,208 --> 01:01:59,875 so we can focus on new challenges. 69 01:02:00,375 --> 01:02:02,000 Without habits, we'd be overwhelmed 70 01:02:02,166 --> 01:02:04,000 by even simple daily tasks. 71 01:02:04,583 --> 01:02:05,583 Another key insight is 72 01:02:05,583 --> 01:02:06,541 that habits are formed 73 01:02:06,625 --> 01:02:08,958 because they help us solve problems 74 01:02:09,208 --> 01:02:11,000 more efficiently over time. 75 01:02:11,583 --> 01:02:12,375 Now, when your brain 76 01:02:12,375 --> 01:02:14,000 finds a solution that works, 77 01:02:14,458 --> 01:02:16,208 it remembers it and it repeats it. 78 01:02:16,583 --> 01:02:17,541 He writes this, "The 79 01:02:17,541 --> 01:02:19,458 brain is constantly analyzing 80 01:02:19,666 --> 01:02:22,000 which actions deliver the most reward." 81 01:02:22,208 --> 01:02:22,583 End quote. 82 01:02:23,083 --> 01:02:25,000 So over time, behaviors 83 01:02:25,000 --> 01:02:26,875 that lead to positive outcomes, 84 01:02:27,208 --> 01:02:28,250 they become automatic. 85 01:02:28,708 --> 01:02:31,250 That's why habits, good or even bad ones, 86 01:02:31,458 --> 01:02:33,458 can feel so deeply ingrained. 87 01:02:34,083 --> 01:02:35,083 The catch is that the 88 01:02:35,083 --> 01:02:36,250 brain doesn't always 89 01:02:36,333 --> 01:02:37,333 distinguish between 90 01:02:37,333 --> 01:02:39,833 helpful and harmful habits. 91 01:02:40,208 --> 01:02:41,833 Unfortunately, if something 92 01:02:41,833 --> 01:02:43,583 consistently delivers a reward 93 01:02:43,708 --> 01:02:45,750 like checking your phone or snacking, 94 01:02:46,250 --> 01:02:47,708 it can become automatic even 95 01:02:47,708 --> 01:02:49,375 if it's not beneficial to you 96 01:02:49,375 --> 01:02:50,000 long term. 97 01:02:50,791 --> 01:02:52,458 Here, Clear emphasizes that 98 01:02:52,458 --> 01:02:53,958 understanding this process 99 01:02:54,333 --> 01:02:55,000 is empowering. 100 01:02:55,625 --> 01:02:56,958 Once you realize that habits 101 01:02:56,958 --> 01:02:58,583 are simply learned patterns, 102 01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:00,833 you can begin to reshape them. 103 01:03:01,208 --> 01:03:03,208 The goal isn't to eliminate habits, 104 01:03:03,208 --> 01:03:06,000 it's to build better ones that serve you. 105 01:03:06,416 --> 01:03:07,458 All right, here it is. 106 01:03:08,041 --> 01:03:09,833 Your hump day takeaway is 107 01:03:09,833 --> 01:03:12,458 habits exist to make life easier. 108 01:03:12,833 --> 01:03:14,083 So make sure the ones you 109 01:03:14,083 --> 01:03:15,708 build are working for you 110 01:03:15,708 --> 01:03:17,000 and not against you. 111 01:03:18,208 --> 01:03:18,750 All right, friends. 112 01:03:19,125 --> 01:03:20,416 Enjoy a waffle today. 113 01:03:20,500 --> 01:03:21,125 Perhaps with some 114 01:03:21,125 --> 01:03:22,875 bacon, build a better habit, 115 01:03:22,875 --> 01:03:23,500 and give your brain 116 01:03:23,500 --> 01:03:24,958 something good to automate today. 117 01:03:25,416 --> 01:03:26,583 All right, now the prize from 118 01:03:26,583 --> 01:03:27,666 the bottom of the cereal box, 119 01:03:27,666 --> 01:03:28,416 the morning cereal 120 01:03:28,416 --> 01:03:29,791 trivia question of the day, 121 01:03:30,416 --> 01:03:33,166 what is the height of the Eiffel Tower? 122 01:03:33,708 --> 01:03:34,583 Now, you just need to be 123 01:03:34,583 --> 01:03:35,958 close to get this one right, 124 01:03:35,958 --> 01:03:37,666 right within 100 feet, I'd say. 125 01:03:38,166 --> 01:03:39,291 All right, hey, thanks for listening 126 01:03:39,291 --> 01:03:40,291 to morning cereal today. 127 01:03:40,291 --> 01:03:42,041 We will see you back here tomorrow 128 01:03:42,625 --> 01:03:43,958 for the answer to the trivia question 129 01:03:44,208 --> 01:03:45,916 and more sugar for your soul. 130 01:03:46,333 --> 01:03:49,208 And until then, have a fantastic day. 131 01:03:50,458 --> 01:03:52,000 Don't forget to follow and subscribe 132 01:03:52,000 --> 01:03:53,541 to the morning cereal podcast 133 01:03:53,750 --> 01:03:55,500 on the One Life Live It channel. 134 01:03:56,041 --> 01:03:57,708 You can find more episodes and videos 135 01:03:57,708 --> 01:03:59,166 by visiting our YouTube channel 136 01:03:59,375 --> 01:04:03,000 and the website at seanenglish.com, 137 01:04:03,458 --> 01:04:04,125 where you can also 138 01:04:04,125 --> 01:04:05,583 follow our other podcasts, 139 01:04:05,916 --> 01:04:07,083 the Mr. and Mrs. English podcast 140 01:04:07,625 --> 01:04:08,791 and the Life Happens podcast. 141 01:04:09,625 --> 01:04:11,750 And these other podcasts will dive deeper 142 01:04:11,750 --> 01:04:12,666 into everyday issues, 143 01:04:12,958 --> 01:04:14,375 self-improvement and well-being, 144 01:04:14,458 --> 01:04:16,208 business and finance, and we 145 01:04:16,208 --> 01:04:17,500 welcome special guests too. 146 01:04:17,958 --> 01:04:19,041 So join us, it'll be a 147 01:04:19,041 --> 01:04:20,041 good time, I promise. 148 01:04:20,750 --> 01:04:21,250 Thanks again for 149 01:04:21,250 --> 01:04:22,958 listening, have a fantastic day, 150 01:04:23,291 --> 01:04:23,916 and we'll see you tomorrow.