A comprehensive overview of the literature on habits; covers some theory, how to form them, and how to break them.

Fading novelty is the fading of excitement as we become accustomed to things. This phenomenon is upstream of issues like mistaking familiarity with comprehension, and the dulling of our attention.

Two core ways to categorize tasks are Recognizing and Generating. Though they may seem initially similar, they differ in the effort involved. This dichotomy helps explain why some apparent solutions work and others fail.

Self-help is supposed to get people to stop needing it. But the typical incentives for readership in any medium mean that it's possible to get people dependent on your content, rather than freeing themselves from it.

A look into what happens when we mix up descriptive categories with prescriptive ones. Problems from the same category may still have different solutions, and recognizing the similarities is insufficient for a solution.

Three principles can improve how we take advice: Accepting the obvious, looking for practical applications, and viewing mental habits as procedural skills.

Give insights over grand theories. It puts the focus on the observations and allows the audience to pick and choose what works for them.

WIP essay