The Mel Robbins Podcast

Episode: Get Back on Track: 3 Small Habits That Change Your Body, Energy, and Life
Host: Mel Robbins
Guest: Charles Duhigg (Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author of "The Power of Habit")
Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mel Robbins sits down with Charles Duhigg, renowned habits researcher and bestselling author, to unpack the science of lasting change. Together, they reveal the three "keystone habits" that can create a positive ripple effect through every area of your life—without relying on willpower. Duhigg shares evidence-based strategies for implementing these habits, overcoming obstacles when forming new routines, and explains why habits matter more than talent or willpower. The conversation is packed with practical tools for listeners to reconnect with their best selves, especially if they've fallen off-track.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Science of Change, Habits, and Identity

• Change is possible for anyone. "Every habit can be changed...You can become any person you want to be. You can build the habits that make you into a marathoner. You can abandon the habits of drinking or overeating that have weighed you down." – Charles Duhigg [07:00]
• Habits shape your life more than talent. Citing Aristotle: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act. It's a habit. So is slacking off. So is procrastination. They're all habits, and they all operate the same way in our brain." – Charles Duhigg [11:08]
• The Habit Loop: Habits consist of a cue (trigger), a routine (behavior), and a reward. About 40–45% of what we do daily is driven by habit, not conscious decisions. [12:08]

2. Keystone Habits: The "Big Three"

Habit #1: Exercise

• Why is it foundational? "For many people, exercise is a keystone habit. It changes how we think about ourselves and starts a chain reaction—in your eating habits, your productivity, even your finances. Research shows people who exercise in the morning use their credit cards less that day and procrastinate less at work." – Charles Duhigg [08:20],[09:50]
• How it rewires self-image: "When I start running, even just once a week...suddenly I start thinking of myself as the kind of person who's a runner." [13:23]
• Practical implementation: Building a solid exercise habit requires intentionally designing the three habit components:
  • Cue: Time of day, visual reminders (e.g., running shoes by bed), commitment to others (meet a friend). [21:03]
  • Routine: The physical activity itself (any form—walking, gym, even standing up regularly counts). [14:35]
  • Reward: Immediate reward after (smoothie, satisfying calendar check, a favorite coffee, or even savoring the self-discipline). [22:30]
• The mistake to avoid: Punishing yourself after exercise negates habit-forming; build in rewards and celebrate each step. [23:53]

Habit #2: Morning Routine

• ARC Framework:
  • A – Anticipation: Look forward to at least one thing in your day (e.g., lunch with a friend, special activity). [29:59]
  • R – Relaxation: Purposefully calm your nervous system, even a few minutes with tea, reading, or enjoying a shower. [30:00]
  • C – Connection: Connect with someone (a family member, a pet, or even yourself through meditation/journaling). [30:00]
• Why it matters: Morning routines set your self-image ("I'm proactive, not reactive") and help you focus, resist distractions, and approach the day intentionally. [42:46]
• Examples: Making your bed, meditating, journaling, or eating breakfast. The routine is less important than doing it intentionally with ARC elements. [32:39],[34:08]
• The reward: Take a moment to feel accomplished, proud, and enjoy the result (a tidy room, a quiet mind, a good breakfast). Savor the reward—don’t rush past it. [49:05]

Habit #3: Tracking Something

• Why tracking? "Tracking is like a small interruption that reminds us of our 'why' and brings intention to autopilot behaviors." – Charles Duhigg [60:54],[61:29]
• Examples: Water intake, meals eaten, money spent, sleep times, steps walked.
• Impact: "People who simply write down what they eat lose more weight even if they make no other changes." Tracking makes patterns visible and activates your intentions. [61:49]
• How to implement: Pick one thing you care about reframing (e.g., bedtime, snacking, spending). Use a simple journal or app. The act of tracking itself is the keystone habit. [68:03],[67:01]
• Overcoming resistance: It doesn’t have to be perfect or complete—just create a moment of reflection each day. [64:23]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On simplicity: "It is simple. That doesn't mean it's easy. But we're gonna make it easier." – Charles Duhigg [08:00]
• On identity shifts: "There's a part of your brain that pays attention not to what we think we should do, but how we actually behave." – Charles Duhigg [16:20]
• On self-reward: "The biggest mistake that we make...is not giving ourselves a reward and then not letting ourselves enjoy the reward." [48:02]
• On intentionality: "The more intentional we are, the more we achieve our goals and the happier we are." [36:17]
• On tracking: "Tracking is to remind you, 'Oh, Mel, I'm the kind of person who wants to be healthy, who wants to have a lot of energy.'...It keeps you present and intentional about what you're doing." – Charles Duhigg [64:34]
• On mental habits: "If you find yourself falling into mental patterns that you don't like, just recognize they're habits. They have cues and they have rewards. You can change them just like you started running or just like you drink four glasses of water every day." [78:50]

Actionable Takeaways with Timestamps

Understanding & Building Habits

• [11:22] Define your target habit: "Pull out a piece of paper and write down the cue, the routine, and the reward."
• [21:03] Set intentional cues: Choose external/environmental triggers for new habits.
• [24:09] Use the dog training principle: Pair routine with clearly defined rewards.

Implementing Keystone Habits

• [22:30], [49:05] Always reward yourself for new habit behaviors. Savor the moment.
• [30:00] Morning routine ARC: Anticipation, Relaxation, Connection.
• [44:40] Key morning routine choices: make bed, organize surroundings, eat breakfast, have a moment of sociability, meditate/journal.
• [56:33] Implementation intentions: Pre-plan, in a "cold state," the precise circumstances and actions for your new habit to avoid hot-mind willpower failures.

Tracking & Disrupting Old Habits

• [65:06] Budget tracking: Once a week, review all transactions to prompt better decisions.
• [67:01] Pick something simple to track—sleep, water, money, etc.—and just jot it down daily.
• [70:04] Changing vs. breaking bad habits: Identify cue and reward, then substitute a new routine that provides a similar reward (the "golden rule").

Practical Examples from the Episode

• Exercise Habit: Lay out clothes, commit to a workout time, set a reward (coffee, check on calendar, etc.). [21:03], [22:32]
• Morning Routine Example: Make your bed upon waking, savor a clean room, anticipate something fun, connect with a loved one or yourself. [29:59],[32:39]
• Tracking Example: Use a mason jar to monitor water intake; keep a notebook to write down bedtime or meals. [58:35], [68:03]
• Breaking a Late-Night Snack Habit: Identify boredom as the cue, need for novelty as reward, substitute calling a friend for snacking. [72:05]

Closing Thoughts & Inspiration

• Believe you can change: "Any habit can be created, any habit can be changed. You can live the life that you want." – Charles Duhigg [77:21]
• On mental habits: Recognize thought spirals or negative talk as changeable habits. Counteract with intention and positivity. [77:35]
• The power is in the process: Focus on cue, cold-state plan, and reward for each change you wish to make. [76:39]

For Further Reflection

If you take away just one thing:
Habits—not willpower or talent—are the foundation of who you become. By understanding and intentionally shaping your habit loops, you can create a lasting positive identity and the life you want.