Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

society has shifted to a predominantly delayed-return environment
: The original research on this
topic used the terms delayed-return societies and immediate-return societies. James
Woodburn, “Egalitarian Societies,” Man 17, no. 3 (1982), doi:10.2307/2801707. I first heard
of the difference between immediate-return environments and delayed-return environments in
a lecture from Mark Leary. Mark Leary, Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior
(Chantilly, VA: Teaching, 2012).
The world has changed much in recent years
: The rapid environmental changes of recent centuries
have far outpaced our biological ability to adapt. On average, it takes about twenty-five
thousand years for meaningful genetic changes to be selected for in a human population. For
more, see Edward O. Wilson, Sociobiology (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press, 1980), 151.
our brains evolved to prefer quick payoffs to long-term ones
: Daniel Gilbert, “Humans Wired to
Respond to Short-Term Problems,” interview by Neal Conan, Talk of the Nation, NPR, July 3,
2006, 
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5530483
.
Disease and infection won’t show up for days or weeks, even years
: The topics of irrational
behavior and cognitive biases have become quite popular in recent years. However, many
actions that seem irrational on the whole have rational origins if you consider their immediate
outcome.
Frédéric Bastiat
: Frédéric Bastiat and W. B. Hodgson, What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen: Or
Political Economy in One Lesson (London: Smith, 1859).
Future You
: Hat tip to behavioral economist Daniel Goldstein, who said, “It’s an unequal battle
between the present self and the future self. I mean, let’s face it, the present self is present. It’s
in control. It’s in power right now. It has these strong, heroic arms that can lift doughnuts into
your mouth. And the future self is not even around. It’s off in the future. It’s weak. It doesn’t
even have a lawyer present. There’s nobody to stick up for the future self. And so the present
self can trounce all over its dreams.” For more, see Daniel Goldstein, “The Battle between
Your Present and Future Self,” TEDSalon NY2011, November 2011, video,
https://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_goldstein_the_battle_between_your_present_and_future_sel
f
.