The {{c1::brain}} is a prediction machine that notices with repeated experiences what is important and encodes the relevant cues. With enough practice, you can pick up on the cues that predict certain outcomes. We cannot explain what it is we are learning, but we are learning. The foundation for every habit is the ability to notice the relevant cues in a given situation. We underestimate how much we can do without thinking. You are much more than your conscious self. Appetite and hunger are governed non-consciously. You do not need to be aware of the cue for the habit to begin. This makes habits useful and also dangerous. Actions come under the direction of the automatic mind, and you can fall into the pattern of old habits without even realizing. The more you repeat them, the less likely you are to question what you are doing. Cues can be so common that they are essentially invisible. We must begin the process of change with awareness. We need to get a handle on our current habits before we form new ones.

Pointing and calling is a safety system that reduces errors and accidents used in the Japan railway system. It raises the level of awareness by using eyes, hands, mouth, and ears. The more automatic a behavior is, the less likely we are to think about it, and we may be more likely to overlook things. Failures in performance can be attributed to a lack of self-awareness. We should maintain awareness of what we are actually doing. This is the origin of the habit score card. Make a list of your daily habits. Look at each behavior in the full list and figure out if each is good, neutral, or bad. Habits being good or bad may depend on what you are working toward. It can be a little more complex because good and bad habits are inaccurate labels. Really, it is about if they are effective or not. Consider how they will affect you in the long run when classifying them as good or bad. Does this behavior help me become the type of person I wish to be? Is it a vote for the type of person I want to be? First, notice what is actually going on. Acknowledge what is currently happening. The first step to get rid of bad habits is to look out for them. Say out loud: I am about to eat this cookie, but I do not need too. Make the consequences more real by saying this, which adds weight to the action. Pointing and calling, and the habit score card, are about figuring out what the habits are and their cues.