Good Addiction Products
Companies have thrived on making people addicted. Whether it’s the food industry making you eat more carbs (mixed with fat) or the beverages industry making you drink more carbonated sugar or a social network making you addicted to scrolling, these companies have employed some of the best minds of the world to make their products viral and addictive.
But addiction is not all bad. There are Good Habits that you can get addicted to:
Exercising
Learning
Eating right
Meditation
Deep work
Sleeping well
And more…
And though until now innovation has happened in Bad Addiction Products, I think things are starting to change. And the change will happen when you make good habits addictive.
Your old treadmill that you use to hang your clothes on can’t compete with Netflix, but your Peloton with a super awesome trainer and great music combined with social and gamification elements can.
Those books which you haven’t picked up in a long time can’t compete with scrolling on Instagram and Twitter but a highly engaging live community course, where you not only interact with your Educator but also see where you stand and learn with your peers, can.
We are moving into a world where we are realising that Good Habits can be made as addictive as the bad ones, if you just work towards making those products. Few products that I believe are working in this direction:
Waking up by Sam Harris
Duolingo (makes learning fun, engaging and gamified)
Eight Sleep
Peloton
Levels
What elements do they use above the core habit:
Motivation
Gamification
Friends and Social
Community
Progress tracking
Are you building a good addiction product? Ping me on Telegram (@gauravmunjal) to tell me more about it.
Hi Gaurav,
Addiction and building habits are fundamentally different from each other and exist at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Addiction refers to a compulsive and detrimental dependence on a substance or behavior, disregarding the negative consequences. It involves a lack of control, as seen in activities like watching pornography or consuming drugs. Those who experience addiction struggle with intense cravings and face difficulties in limiting or stopping their engagement, even when they desire to do so.
On the other hand, habits are routine behaviors that occur automatically, often without conscious thought. They are learned actions that become ingrained through repetition and can be positive or negative. For example, brushing our teeth in the morning is a habitual behavior.
Unlike addiction, habits are typically within conscious control and can be altered or ceased relatively easily with deliberate effort and intention.
The fundamental question that persists is why children are becoming addicted to gaming instead of engaging in activities like reading or studying.
Similarly, why do adults tend to develop addictions to substances rather than adopting healthy habits such as exercising or maintaining good eating habits?
The main point I want to emphasize is that while we can provide opportunities or resources for individuals to develop desired habits, the challenge lies in motivating them to take action. Every product or approach aimed at habit-building must consider three crucial elements: "ease of use", "pleasure" & "reward".