S2E364 How to Build Better Habits with Charles Duhigg

14 snips

Jan 13, 2026

In this engaging conversation, Charles Duhigg, a journalist and author renowned for his insights on habits, joins to explore how to make lasting changes as we enter 2026. Charles discusses the power of beginnings and why small wins can turn New Year's resolutions into achievable habits. They delve into the importance of meaningful human communication in an AI-dominated world and outline three types of conversations—practical, emotional, and social. Duhigg shares strategies for building better habits and enhancing personal connections through effective dialogue.

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ANECDOTE

One Bite Ended A Challenge

Brian tells how a single chicken bite cost him points in a workplace diet contest and caused him to quit.
That all-or-nothing reaction led him to abandon the challenge and celebrate with a beer.

ADVICE

Prioritize High-Touch Communication

Use human, personalized conversations to meet emotional needs that AI cannot sustain.
Charles Duhigg warns that AI-generated rapport degrades because machines can't truly feel others' responses.

INSIGHT

Three Layers In Every Conversation

Conversations operate in three simultaneous modes: practical, emotional, and social.
Charles Duhigg explains effective communication requires identifying and matching these layers.

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To kick off 2026, Brian welcomes back one of the show’s most popular guests: Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit and Supercommunicators. Together, they unpack why January is such a powerful moment to change, why most New Year’s resolutions fail and how to create habits that last.

Then two also discuss the importance of personal, high-touch communications and why, in an age of increasing AI, it’s more important than ever. Charles breaks down the three main types of conversations — practical, emotional and social — and how to recognize each type and then pivot when needed.

Brian also gets insights and tips on how to lean into his two chosen “words of the year” to create impactful results.

YOU WILL LEARN:

How small steps and rewards can lead to habits that produce lasting habits.
Why personalized human communication is still important, even as AI advances in our world.
How to “super communicate” by matching practical, emotional and social conversations with the situation at hand.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“There's something about beginnings that give us additional motivation, that give us additional commitment, that give us oftentimes additional time and dedication.” — Charles Duhigg

“When I set those little goals…that’s the science of small wins…that’s going to make it easier and easier for those goals to become habits and to become automatic.” — Charles Duhigg

“Every habit has three components: a cue, a routine, and a reward.” — Charles Duhigg

“Instead of setting a New Year’s resolution that’s a goal, set one that’s a plan.” — Charles Duhigg

“You can not only change any habit you want—you can create any habit you want.” — Charles Duhigg

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