Harvard Professor: How To Reset Your Life, Find Purpose & Make Life Exciting Again | Michael Norton

Rangan Chatterjee

May 15, 2024

Episode description

Download my FREE Habit Change Guide HERE: http://bit.ly/3QKGGFW

Find out about the Three Question Journal here https://bit.ly/3TSaYtX

AG1 are sponsoring today's show. To get 1 year's FREE VITAMIN D and 5 FREE TRAVEL PACKS visit: https://bit.ly/43FwxQl

Have you ever thought about the role that rituals play in our health and wellbeing? Whether it's a morning routine, a pre-game warmup, or a cultural tradition, rituals can provide us with structure, meaning, and connection.

Today’s guest is Professor Michael Norton, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and author of the brand new book, The Ritual Effect: The Transformative Power of Our Everyday Actions, which delves into the science and psychology behind, why turning everyday habits into rituals can improve our work, our relationships and our lives.

In this conversation, Michael and I explore the fascinating world of rituals and how they impact on our mental and physical health. We discuss the distinction between rituals and routines, why they can be really helpful in making our habits stick over the long term and how, by providing order and structure, they can help us manage overwhelm and stress.

We also explore how rituals foster community and connection, how elite athletes like Serena Williams use rituals to enhance performance and mental preparation, and how team rituals, like the New Zealand rugby team’s iconic Hakka, are a great example of how ritual behaviours boost togetherness and collective identity.

Michael and I also share some of our own personal rituals - including the preparation rituals I go through each week to prepare for this podcast. And, we also acknowledge that rituals can become problematic if taken to an extreme and the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with them, using them as tools for self-improvement rather than allowing them to be in control of us.

Ultimately, this is a conversation that offers a compelling case for the power of rituals in enhancing our health and happiness. Whether you're an athlete striving for peak performance, or simply someone looking to live a more fulfilled life, I think you’ll find that understanding the "ritual effect" can be truly transformative.

#feelbetterlivemore
-----

Connect with Professor Norton:
https://michaelnorton.com/
https://twitter.com/michaelinorton

Professor Norton’s book:
The Ritual Effect: The Transformative Power of Our Everyday Actions by Harvard Professor Michael Norton – US: https://amzn.to/4dGWCUC, UK: https://amzn.to/4bjnh8u

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast

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Listen to all podcast episodes on https://drchatterjee.com/podcast or via these podcast platforms by searching for 'Feel Better, Live More'.
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6NyPQfcSR9nj0DPDr2ixrK
-----
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Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Episode description

Download my FREE Habit Change Guide HERE: http://bit.ly/3QKGGFW

Find out about the Three Question Journal here https://bit.ly/3TSaYtX

AG1 are sponsoring today's show. To get 1 year's FREE VITAMIN D and 5 FREE TRAVEL PACKS visit: https://bit.ly/43FwxQl

Have you ever thought about the role that rituals play in our health and wellbeing? Whether it's a morning routine, a pre-game warmup, or a cultural tradition, rituals can provide us with structure, meaning, and connection.

Today’s guest is Professor Michael Norton, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and author of the brand new book, The Ritual Effect: The Transformative Power of Our Everyday Actions, which delves into the science and psychology behind, why turning everyday habits into rituals can improve our work, our relationships and our lives.

In this conversation, Michael and I explore the fascinating world of rituals and how they impact on our mental and physical health. We discuss the distinction between rituals and routines, why they can be really helpful in making our habits stick over the long term and how, by providing order and structure, they can help us manage overwhelm and stress.

We also explore how rituals foster community and connection, how elite athletes like Serena Williams use rituals to enhance performance and mental preparation, and how team rituals, like the New Zealand rugby team’s iconic Hakka, are a great example of how ritual behaviours boost togetherness and collective identity.

Michael and I also share some of our own personal rituals - including the preparation rituals I go through each week to prepare for this podcast. And, we also acknowledge that rituals can become problematic if taken to an extreme and the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with them, using them as tools for self-improvement rather than allowing them to be in control of us.

Ultimately, this is a conversation that offers a compelling case for the power of rituals in enhancing our health and happiness. Whether you're an athlete striving for peak performance, or simply someone looking to live a more fulfilled life, I think you’ll find that understanding the "ritual effect" can be truly transformative.

#feelbetterlivemore
-----

Connect with Professor Norton:
https://michaelnorton.com/
https://twitter.com/michaelinorton

Professor Norton’s book:
The Ritual Effect: The Transformative Power of Our Everyday Actions by Harvard Professor Michael Norton – US: https://amzn.to/4dGWCUC, UK: https://amzn.to/4bjnh8u

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast

-------
Sign up to my newsletter - FRIDAY FIVE https://drchatterjee.com/fridayfive
Find out about THE THREE QUESTION JOURNAL https://bit.ly/3TSaYtX
Order HAPPY MIND HAPPY LIFE. US & Canada https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp, UK https://amzn.to/304opgJ
Read FEEL GREAT LOSE WEIGHT. US & Canada https://amzn.to/2GWPgls, UK https://amzn.to/2W6bsOE
Order FEEL BETTER IN 5. US & Canada https://amzn.to/2EB2oM0, UK https://amzn.to/2G0XK7l
Read THE STRESS SOLUTION https://amzn.to/2MZ8u8h
Order THE 4 PILLAR PLAN available via http://amzn.to/2yGfpuB Or the US version is HOW TO MAKE DISEASE DISAPPEAR https://amzn.to/2Gj1YEL
-----
Listen to all podcast episodes on https://drchatterjee.com/podcast or via these podcast platforms by searching for 'Feel Better, Live More'.
Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6NyPQfcSR9nj0DPDr2ixrK
-----
Follow Dr Chatterjee at:
Website: https://drchatterjee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/
Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Pair guilty pleasures with exercise to build new habits

To build a new habit like exercising, pair it with a guilty pleasure you only allow yourself during that activity, like watching a trashy show at the gym.

Transform routine into ritual by caring for the process

A routine becomes a ritual when you start to care about *how* it's done, not just that it gets done, and you would feel 'off' if the process were disrupted.

Perform rituals to prevent rumination and anxiety

The act of performing a ritual can take up enough mental space to prevent your mind from spiraling into rumination over past mistakes or future anxieties.

Personalize routines to enhance value and meaning

We value things more when we put our own effort into them, which is why personalizing a routine makes it feel more meaningful and uniquely yours.

Recognize when rituals hinder your life goals

A helpful ritual becomes problematic when it starts to control you, interfering with your life's goals rather than serving them.

Establish rituals to regain control during chaos

We intuitively create rituals during chaotic times, like having a new baby, not necessarily for the intended target but to give ourselves a sense of control.

Prioritize quality of relationships over measurable metrics

Focusing only on measurable metrics like step counts can cause you to neglect the most important, unmeasurable parts of life, such as the quality of your relationships.

Prioritize context over substance for health impacts

The health impact of an action, like drinking coffee or wine, is determined more by the context and meaning behind it than by the substance itself.

Embrace variety over rigid habits for a fulfilling life

A life of perfectly executed, rigid habits might be healthy, but it may not be a rich or interesting life compared to one with variety and meaningful punctuation.

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