Mastering AI-Driven Design and Habit Formation for Innovation and Growth

Aadhya Krishna at UXDX Community: Managing Stakeholders & Your Time. Video: https://youtu.be/KCw-QYppZNA

Readable transcript: edited from the recording's captions for readability (fillers and false starts removed, punctuation and section headings added). Wording is the speaker's own. Timestamps are positions in the video. Names marked [?] could not be verified against the audio.

From habits to routines to skill mastery

[00:00:08] Thank you so much. It's wonderful to be here, and I hope I do justice, even though you guys might be expecting someone else today. Just to give you an introduction: in today's talk I want to try and help you understand how you can create habits and how you can form routines through your habits. With the routines, you can enhance your skill, and that can lead to some monetizing opportunities, so you can be successful in whichever field you choose. That's the goal of today's talk.

[00:00:38] Before we get to the deep dive, I wanted to take you through this journey of skill mastery. We will go through these in a structured way today in this presentation, and you will find ways to identify the niches where you are most effective and where you can actually be of value, and the routines that will support your skill development, your personal growth and also your professional growth. That's the aim for today.

[00:01:06] But before we go into that, I want to talk about understanding habits. And before that: what is a habit, or what are habits? Habits are automatic behaviors that are formed through repeated action. They can be beneficial, or even detrimental at times, but they have an influence on our daily choices, and through our daily choices, our habits influence even our long-term outcomes. So developing positive habits is a key to any success that you want, whether that's in your personal life or in your professional life, and that's very important for you to understand.

The habit loop and the science of habit formation

[00:01:43] Part one of this is understanding the science of habit forming. This is called a habit loop. It's a habit-forming process that involves three key components: the trigger cues, routines and reward. To understand this loop, you also need to understand that, to be effective in any habit formation, it takes 21 days to acquire a new skill set. So consistency in following this loop is very essential. The triggers are what initiates the behavior, what makes us begin a habit. The routine is the consistency of creating that skill set and turning that habit into a routine. And lastly there is reward. If you don't have a sense of achievement, or reinforcement of a behavior, it'll never become a habit that you can consistently follow, and that's why this habit loop is very important.

[00:02:37] Moving on to the basis of habit formation. The impact of any habit is on performance. Habits play a significant role in performance across the various fields that we are in, and positive habits can actually increase productivity, sharpen our focus and also lead to better stress management, especially in today's world, where we all seem to be in chaos. Ultimately this contributes to success in our professional environment.

[00:03:04] The basal ganglia, as you can see on the front, is a crucial part which handles our motor skills, and it is also a crucial element of habit formation. Without this, no habits can actually be formed. The second one is dopamine reinforcement. We all understand what dopamine is, but when it releases the happy hormones into our brain, that's when we are able to reinforce the habits that we're trying to form, and also the skill set that we're trying to develop in the future. This makes us more likely to repeat this behavior over and over again, which then forms a routine. And lastly there's neuroplasticity, which refers to our brain's ability to form new neural connections. This allows us to develop new habits and develop new skills. That's why this is important.

Habit stacking

[00:03:59] Now, moving on to how you can practically apply the science of this in your daily life. This is done through what is called habit stacking. For example, I wake up in the morning and I pour myself a coffee. Pouring myself a coffee is an existing habit that I follow. But if I want to practice a new habit, as soon as I get my coffee I spend 20 minutes of my time trying out the new skill that I want to acquire. What this does is stack your old behavior with the new skill that you want to adopt, which tricks your brain into something we call association, because this is the mental link between our old habit and the new skill that we want to develop as a habit.

[00:04:41] This is called the Power Hour. This is when we spend the time using an old habit to trick our brain into believing the new habit has the same hormones and the same science behind it. This makes us more able to use that new skill set and form it into a habit that will then be part of our daily life.

Attention, deep work and focus

[00:05:05] Part two of this is the attention side. Attention in today's attention economy is very low, because focused attention is the most valuable resource that we have, but it's very difficult to find in today's distracted environment. The neuroscience of deep work and the flow state highlights the importance of concentrated effort. Now, how do you actually do that in a world which is always chaotic, where you're stressed in multiple ways?

[00:05:34] The practical strategy starts with implementation intentions. You need to know that you are going to work on this skill at this time, for this period of time, and in this location. When you have a specific action plan for developing a new skill, that's when you're more likely to actually work on it. Then there's the Pomodoro technique, which is that you spend 25 minutes out of 30 minutes in deep, focused work, and then you spend the remaining five minutes away from your work environment. Just step out of it, go do something fun, go take a walk, but distance yourself from your working environment.

[00:06:14] Then there's digital minimalism, which I understand is very difficult in today's age, but it's important to put your phone away, your iPad, whatever is distracting you. Keep it away and just focus on your work. And lastly there's environmental design, and this is what I truly believe in. We cannot sit on our bed and try to work. There is no way that you will be able to focus as much as you would at a desk. So it's important to keep your work environment and your relaxing environment separate from each other. A great book that will re-emphasize this, if you want to read more about it, is Deep Work, which I highly recommend. It's by Cal Newport, and he's amazing.

Deliberate practice

[00:06:58] Moving on, now I want to talk about deliberate practice and skill excellence. There's a science behind how we actually behave, and this comes from the research of Anders Ericsson, who emphasizes the role of targeted feedback loops in expert performance. It's very scary to get critical feedback, but it's very essential, especially if you're someone learning a new skill or trying to form a new habit. Myelin sheath formation strengthens the neural pathways that we discussed in part one, and this allows us to be consistent in our practice and in our practical application of a new skill.

[00:07:44] Also, designing deliberate practice. Routines are as simple as setting clear, specific micro goals. You don't have to make a huge list of things that you have to do that goes on and on forever. You just have to break down your big goal into smaller, more bite-sized tasks that you can actually achieve, so you also feel a sense of accomplishment. And then, of course, there's measuring your progress. Feedback is essential, but if you don't know whether you're being consistent, and you're not tracking your progress, how do you know how much you have achieved? So it's important to track the progress that you're making.

Design thinking your routine and your offer

[00:08:24] In part four we talk about design thinking. Don't be dismayed if you're not someone in the design field. This is just about designing your routine and designing your life, and how you can use that to monetize the skills that you have developed or will develop. This is broken into five steps. First is empathize, which is identifying the market requirement. Any skill that you are trying to build on, trying to cultivate, has to have a value that you can add to the market. So where does your skill set, whether that's an existing one or a new one, fit into the market requirement?

[00:09:04] Then there's definition. What is the unique value that you can add to the people around you, and how can your skill actually benefit the people around you? That's when you're able to sell the skill set that you have. Then there's ideate. You understand that in today's world we can't just have one stream of income; we have to have multiple streams of revenue. That's when you create multiple pathways with the different skill sets and the array of skills that you have, and this allows you to transform your monetization structure from just one path to multiple paths.

[00:09:42] Then there's prototyping. Nothing works without testing, so it's important to see your minimal viable offering. Break down your skill set into groups and see which group can actually help you build and monetize your skill set. It's not as easy as I say, but it's much easier when you break it down into smaller, bite-sized structures. And lastly, test it. It's always important to refine, so be flexible with whatever routine you're establishing for yourself, so you can reiterate, because the market keeps changing. It's important that your skill set and your skill offering also change with the market requirement.

Daily disciplines for sustainable growth

[00:10:21] With that, we move on to the actual daily disciplinary actions that you can take so that you have sustainable growth. This is just to summarize everything that we spoke about today. The first one is morning ritual design. The power of your morning routine is that you're setting the foundation and priming your brain to set the pace for the rest of the day. If you do this consistently over the next 21 days, your habit will be so reinforced that you will not have to think about it twice. It'll just become part of your daily routine, and that's why we call it the Power Hour. This is the first 20 minutes of you doing something new, whether that's meditating, movement, prayer time, mindfulness, skill practice, whatever your Power Hour looks like. Remember that that hour sets the foundation for your day.

[00:11:21] Then, of course, there are the consistency drivers, which is accountability: having a partner who is there to motivate you, who helps you maintain it when you're feeling down, when you had a busy day and you can't do the new habit again. That's when you need someone to be your cheerleader. And then there's the environmental design that we spoke about. Make sure you have a separate place that triggers your focus center. As soon as you enter this environment, your brain knows and understands that you need to work now, with zero distractions. That's essential.

[00:11:56] And lastly, you need to shift your mindset, from "I should practice this daily" to "I am someone who practices this daily." This is also called the habit scorecard, because nothing happens without giving yourself that sense of accomplishment. This is when you conduct a weekly assessment of the behavior that you're trying to reinforce, so you know where you're struggling and what you have done right. This scorecard will not only reinforce the small wins but will also allow you to be flexible and tweak how your routine is being formed. It seems like a lot of work, but I promise you it's worth it.

The action plan and wrap-up

[00:12:40] Now comes the last part, which is your action plan. This is the breakdown of what your habit formation will look like if you practice it consistently over the course of multiple days. The first 21 days are when you are building the initial neural link. This is what we call association, so that your brain understands that it needs to start prepping for a new skill to be added. Then comes day 22 to 66. This is when you're strengthening the new routine that you have formed. We formed it in the first 21 days; now it's about how you consistently strengthen it and achieve through the routine that you have established. And finally, it's beyond day 66, when you have used this routine so much that it's integrated into your body. Now it's time to transform that and actually monetize that skill set.

[00:13:35] Just to wrap up what we discussed: the compound effect of habit-based skill development is extremely important and extremely satisfying. It might seem extremely technical because we did talk about the science, but if you understand it, you are going to be successful no matter what habit or skill you want to use, whether that's for your personal life or your professional life. And I promise you, your environment will also change with it. Second, have patience. None of this is easy, and none of this is an overnight-success kind of story. It takes time. So trust yourself, be consistent, but also have a little patience with yourself, because nothing is so easy that it happens overnight. And then, of course, for any kind of long-term success, if you want to achieve your ultimate goal, the only thing you can do is stay motivated and stay consistent. I would love to hear more about your journey, so do stay connected.

How to make money from your skills

[00:14:35] But before we move on, I have one more thing that I want to share with you, which is how we make money. We now understand the science, the basis, and what skills and habit forming look like behind the scenes, but how do we actually make money with it? I have divided it into five key components, starting with building a personal brand. I have been an introvert for most of my life. I am not somebody who likes to speak to people. I did not know what it meant to have a personal brand, but I took up a challenge on LinkedIn to do a video every day, and I'm at 135 days now of making videos consistently. This has not only helped me get out of my shell, but also helped me build a personal brand.

[00:15:24] It's important for you to understand that showcasing your expertise on an online platform, creating a portfolio of your skills, or even using social media to connect with people allows you to showcase your unique story, because everyone has something unique about them. So it's important to show that, so that you build your personal brand. Two is networking. I know a lot of people have said networking, and it seems like a bad word at this point, but trust me, there's nothing that's going to replace building relationships, whether you're building them while you're at a conference, on online platforms or on social media. Whatever it is, networking is extremely important, extremely crucial for any kind of success.

[00:16:11] Third is maintaining and sustaining your motivation and excellence. It's very, very difficult when you are at day 115 [?] and you're so close to your goal, but all you want to do is give up because it's very hard. That's when you have to find inspiration, whether that's through the people around you, your peers, reflecting on the daily goals that you have achieved, and positive reinforcement. This helps you with your momentum and helps you not give up.

[00:16:43] Four is, of course, skill development, and the things that change because you're adapting your routine over time. No routine should be rigid. The market changes, the requirement changes, you as a person grow, so having flexibility can help maintain engagement and effectiveness. And lastly, measure your progress and your success. When you're on top of that mountain, when you've achieved everything, and you look back on day one, that's when you know that all the lessons and all the hardship have been worth it. It has been worth it because you are able to identify the strengths that you have developed, and the things that you might still have to tweak at the top of the mountain, and how you can be flexible but also adjust to be more successful in whatever you do.

[00:17:36] With that, I want to say thank you so much for your time today. Please do scan the QR code and stay in touch. I always love to hear about your journey, and I hope whatever we spoke about today in this presentation actually helps you. I hope it helps you as much as it did help me, because I've seen transformation practically happen. So I hope this helps you as well. Thank you so much.

Q&A

[00:18:02] Host: Excellent, thank you very much. Skill development is one of those things that is just critical but very difficult to do. If anybody has any questions out there, please write them on whichever platform you're watching on, and I'll put those questions through to Aadhya. But I'm going to start, because there are two things I've struggled with. One is that I want to be good now. I get frustrated if I can't solve something immediately. So what tips do you have for breaking it down? Because you said you have to break it down into something small. But how do you personally, or do you have any examples of how you broke that down and got over that hurdle of thinking how pointless this tiny little thing is?

[00:18:59] Aadhya: Absolutely. I would love to be an overnight success; I think all of us would love to be successful. But it's not just about breaking your goals into micro-sized pieces. It's about getting over the fear. The first step to any kind of skill development is the fear: what would people think, it's going to be hard. Once you get over that, then it's about consistency. All you need to do is take that first step; then the second and third become very easy to take. For example, I tried to start baking and cooking, and I couldn't just become this French gourmet chef overnight. It was not the first thing that I could do. I had to burn a lot of cookies and a lot of bread in order to become successful. So don't fear failure, because that's where the lessons are. If you're successful on the first go, you're not learning anything. Not worrying about failing, and just trying it out and having fun in the process, really helps when you're forming a habit.

[00:20:02] Host: And the other thing that I was wondering about: you mentioned two things, sorry, let me just look at my notes, the consistency driver and the accountability partner. In a workplace environment, where you're trying to pick up maybe a new work-related skill, what examples can you give people of consistency drivers, things to trigger them to do it?

[00:20:34] Aadhya: I think it's about not sitting for long hours, because we tend to believe that a very complicated to-do list is how we achieve a goal. It doesn't have to be. Whatever your work tasks look like, you say, "Okay, I'm going to spend 20 minutes on this and nothing can distract me. I'm just going to focus on this particular task, and then I'll take five minutes of break and just step away from the work." In actuality, don't think about any work. Just go and spend five minutes doing anything except thinking about that task, because your brain needs the rest. Your brain needs time to come up with new ideas, or new things that you want to add, maybe to a presentation.

[00:21:17] This happens to me a lot of the time because I'm in the creative field. My brain doesn't really stop at any time; it's constantly running, looking for new ideas, new ways of approaching problem solving. And I think most of us are in an industry where we don't get away from the work, because it's mostly our brain that works. It's not physical work that we can get out of. That's when you understand that you need a break. Now, coming to consistency, I think it's reminding yourself that "I need to do this every day" and trying to do it at the same time. That's why I called it the Power Hour, because I understand that my first hour of the day has to have these four things that I have to do, whether that's meditating, journal writing, having my coffee or going for a workout. That happens every day at 7:00 a.m., for example, and I don't switch that routine, because that's how you stay consistent. So try to live a more boring life: do the same thing at the same time. It'll really help.

[00:22:26] Host: Okay, that's a really good point, because otherwise you start breaking the habit, and it gets easy to drop the things that you really should be doing.

[00:22:37] Aadhya: Absolutely.

[00:22:39] Host: The accountability partner one really rings true to me, particularly with fitness. The fittest I've ever been was when myself and a few friends used to meet for lunch runs, and you wouldn't miss it because you had to meet them. So they were accountability partners. But in a workplace, where you don't really want to admit weakness, you don't really want to show that you don't know something, and a lot of people have that impostor syndrome, how do you get an accountability partner in a work environment?

[00:23:09] Aadhya: It doesn't have to be another person. I think that's the big misconception. It doesn't have to be your career bestie or anyone who's in the office with you. It can just be you. For example, what I do as a practice is, on Friday as soon as I get back from work, or Saturday morning, I sit down and reflect on my week. I reflect on everything that I have done. Have I consistently had those days where I followed the habit? What are the trigger points that made me stressed or made me give up on something, whatever that is? It's my self-reflection moment. That's when I spend time with myself, and that has really helped, because it keeps you in check and keeps you honest about what you are doing.

[00:23:53] Having a notebook that charts out all of the plans that you've had really helps, because then I can go back to day one and see what I missed out, and then I can tweak my next week to help with the next. So it doesn't have to be a physically different person. It doesn't even have to be someone who is in the workspace with you. It can just be a family member, or someone who is completely distanced from your work life but can help you understand those patterns that maybe you're not seeing. So it doesn't have to be only about work, even though the topic is about work.

[00:24:25] Host: Okay, yeah. It reminds me, I think there was an app where, if you don't do something, it'll donate money to the NRA, or whichever side of the political spectrum is opposite to yours. So it makes sure you do it, because you really don't want that.

[00:24:45] Aadhya: That's an amazing punishment and reward system that I have yet to try. I have to.

[00:24:52] Host: All right, well, I think that's bringing us close to time, so I just want to thank you once again for sharing how you can build and grow habits, because that's something that we all need to do all the time. Everybody needs to improve in different ways. So thank you once again for sharing.

[00:25:09] Aadhya: It was wonderful speaking today, and happy to connect.