InthebestsellingtraditionofCharlesDuhigg’sThePowerofHabitandAngelaDuckworth’sGrit,arenownedsocialpsychologistdemonstratesthepowerofsmallacts--andhowasubtleturningofhabitsintoritualscanaddpurposeandpleasuretolife.Ourlivesarefilledwithrepetitivetasksmeanttokeepusontrack--whatwecometoknowashabits.Overtime,theseroutines(forexample,brushingyourteethorputtingonyourrightsockfirst)tendtobeperformedautomatically.Butwhenwe’remoremindfulabouttheseactions--whenwefocusontheprecisewaytheyareperformed--theycaninsteadbecomerituals.Shiftingfroma“habitual“mindsettoa“ritual“mindsetcanconvertordinaryactsfromblackandwhitetotechnicolor.Thinkofthewayyousavoracertainbeverage,thecareyoutakewithaparticularoutfitthatgetswornonlyonspecialoccasions,theuniquewaythatyourfamilygathersaroundthetableduringholidays,orthesecretlanguageyouenjoywithyoursignificantother.Tosome,thesebehaviorsmayseemquirky,butbecauseritualsmattersodeeplytousonapersonallevel,theyimbueourliveswithpurposeandmeaning.Drawingonadecadeoforiginalresearch,Nortonshowsthatritualsplayaroleinhealingcommunitiesexperiencingagreatloss,markinglife’smajortransitions,drivingastadiumofsportsfanstoecstasy,andhelpingusrisetochallengesandrealizeopportunities.Compelling,insightful,andpractical,TheRitualEffectremindsusoftheintention-filledactsthatdrivehumanbehaviorandcreatesur-prisingsatisfactionandenjoyment.
