Break A Habit (the 5 minute version!)

Overview

In this fast-paced talk from the Lead with Love Leadership Summit at the Aspen Institute, Dr. Jud distills his clinically proven habit change framework into a 5-minute presentation. The core message: your brain forms habits through a simple reward-based learning process — and you can use that same process to break them.

Dr. Jud walks through the habit loop — trigger, behavior, reward — and explains why traditional approaches like willpower and self-discipline consistently fail. The brain doesn’t respond to force; it responds to reward value. When you bring genuine curiosity to a habit and notice that the behavior doesn’t actually deliver what it promises, your brain naturally updates its programming.

This brief talk captures the essential framework behind Dr. Jud’s research at Brown University and his bestselling books Unwinding Anxiety and The Hunger Habit. It’s an ideal starting point for anyone looking to understand the neuroscience of habit change without a deep time commitment.

Key Takeaways

• Habits form through reward-based learning: Your brain links triggers to behaviors based on how rewarding they feel — not whether they’re actually good for you in the long run.
• Willpower is not the answer: Self-control depends on your prefrontal cortex, which goes offline under stress. That’s why you reach for comfort food after a hard day, even when you know better.
• Curiosity is the “bigger, better offer”: Instead of fighting cravings, bringing mindful awareness to the actual experience of a habit helps your brain see through the false promise and naturally let go.

Related Resources

• What Is the Habit Loop? — Understand the trigger-behavior-reward cycle driving your habits
• A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit — Dr. Jud’s full TED talk on the same topic
• Mindfulness Exercises — Practical techniques to build the awareness habit change requires
• Habit Change Strategies Reviewed — How different approaches compare in the research