All habits follow a similar trajectory from effortful practice to automatic behavior, a process known as automaticity.Automaticity is the ability to perform a behavior without thinking about each step, which occurs when the nonconscious mind takes over.On the following page, you’ll see what it looks like when researchers track the level of automaticity for an actual habit like walking for ten minutes each day.The shape of these charts, which scientists call learning curves, reveals an important truth about behavior change: habits form based on frequency, not time.One of the most common questions I hear is, “How long does it take to build a new habit?”But what people really should be asking is, “How many does it take to form a new habit?”That is, how many repetitions are required to make a habit automatic?There is nothing magical about time passing with regard to habit formation.It doesn’t matter if it’s been twenty-one days or thirty days or three hundred days.What matters is the rate at which you perform the behavior.You could do something twice in thirty days, or two hundred times.It’s the frequency that makes the difference.Your current habits have been internalized over the course of hundreds, if not thousands, of repetitions.New habits require the same level of frequency.You need to string together enough successful attempts until the behavior is firmly embedded in your mind and you cross the Habit Line.
Automaticity is the ability to perform a behavior without thinking about each step, which occurs when the nonconscious mind takes over.
自动性指的是:当无意识的大脑接管时,你可以不必逐步思考每一个环节就完成某个行为。
perform/pərˈfɔːrm/
v. 执行;完成(动作/任务)
Ex: He can perform the routine quickly.
例句翻译:他能很快完成这套流程。 分析:比 do 更正式,常用于“执行行为/动作”。
nonconscious/ˌnɑːnˈkɑːnʃəs/
adj. 无意识的;非意识层面的
Ex: Nonconscious choices shape habits.
例句翻译:无意识的选择会塑造习惯。 分析:强调不是你有意识地“想一想”才做出的反应。
takes over/teɪks ˈoʊvər/
phr. 接管;代替主导
Ex: When stress takes over, mistakes happen.
例句翻译:当压力接管时,错误就容易发生。 分析:比喻用法:主导权从“意识”转移到“无意识”。
without thinking/wɪˈðaʊt ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/
phr. 不用思考;不经思索
Ex: She answered without thinking.
例句翻译:她不假思索就回答了。 分析:突出自动化的特征:无需逐步调动注意力。
On the following page, you’ll see what it looks like when researchers track the level of automaticity for an actual habit like walking for ten minutes each day.
在下一页,你会看到研究人员如何追踪一个真实习惯(例如每天步行十分钟)的自动性水平。
researchers/rɪˈsɜːrtʃərz/
n. 研究人员(复数)
Ex: Researchers collected the results.
例句翻译:研究人员收集了结果。 分析:常用于学术语境,泛指做研究的人。
track/træk/
v. 追踪;跟踪记录
Ex: They track progress every week.
例句翻译:他们每周追踪进展。 分析:强调持续记录变化,而不是一次性观察。
level/ˈlevl/
n. 水平;程度
Ex: His stress level dropped.
例句翻译:他的压力水平下降了。 分析:表示可量化的程度(高/低)。
actual/ˈæktʃuəl/
adj. 真实的;实际的
Ex: They measured actual behavior.
例句翻译:他们测量了真实行为。 分析:强调不是理论或设想,而是现实中发生的。
The shape of these charts, which scientists call learning curves, reveals an important truth about behavior change: habits form based on frequency, not time.