--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It wasn’t the trip to Cairo that had…" description: "\"“It wasn’t the trip to Cairo that had caused the shift, scientists were convinced, or the divorce or desert trek. It was that Lisa had focused on chang..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/charles-duhigg-1088_habit_it-wasn-t-the-trip-to-cairo-that-had-cau_2953881.jpg" --- # It wasn’t the trip to Cairo that had caused the shift… ![“It wasn’t the trip to Cairo that had caused the shift, scientists were convinced, or the divorce or desert trek. It was that Lisa had focused on changing just one habit—smoking—at first. Everyone in the study had gone through a similar process. By focusing on one pattern—what is known as a…” quote by Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/charles-duhigg-1088_habit_it-wasn-t-the-trip-to-cairo-that-had-cau_2953881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/charles-duhigg-1088_habit_it-wasn-t-the-trip-to-cairo-that-had-cau_2953881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1b/charles-duhigg-1088_habit_it-wasn-t-the-trip-to-cairo-that-had-cau_2953881.jpg) > ““It wasn’t the trip to Cairo that had caused the shift, scientists were convinced, or the divorce or desert trek. It was that Lisa had focused on changing just one habit—smoking—at first. Everyone in the study had gone through a similar process. By focusing on one pattern—what is known as a “keystone habit”—Lisa had taught herself how to reprogram the other routines in her life, as well.”” [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Changing a single keystone habit can trigger widespread behavior change across a person’s life. **In simple terms:** One key habit can reshape many others. Key Takeaway Identify and modify a pivotal habit. Themes habit formation behavior change self‑improvement Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - weight loss - smoking cessation - productivity - relationships Key Concepts keystone habit habit loop cue‑routine‑reward Questions to Reflect On - What habit could serve as a keystone for you? - How will you track progress? A Different Perspective Keystone habits may be hard to pinpoint and require sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [When a change initiative is focused on changing a company's culture directly, it can take five to ten years to accomplish its objective. Company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-champy/when-a-change-initiative-is-focused-on-changing-a-company-s-culture/) [James A. Champy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-champy/) > [You caused a shift in my life~ the moment when everything changed and with or without you will never be the same!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/my-right-ball/you-caused-a-shift-in-my-life-the-moment-when-everything-changed-and/) My Right Ball > [Typically, people who exercise start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/typically-people-who-exercise-start-eating-better-and-becoming-more/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [I have always been extremely health conscious and I have never smoked and don't encourage the habit of smoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/i-have-always-been-extremely-health-conscious-and-i-have-never-smoked/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) > [Typically, people who exercise, start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/typically-people-who-exercise-start-eating-better-and-becoming-more-2/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“Keystone habits say that success doesn’t depend on getting every single thing right, but instead relies on identifying a few key priorities and fashioning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keystone-habits-say-that-success-doesn-t-depend-on-getting-every/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Making your bed is considered a “keystone” habit. As Barrie says in her book Sticky Habits, “Keystone habits are particular habits that make success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/making-your-bed-is-considered-a-keystone-habit-as-barrie-says-in-her/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [A keystone habit leads to other positive habits and disciplines. These positive traits start a chain reaction that produces other positive outcomes. The presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/a-keystone-habit-leads-to-other-positive-habits-and-disciplines-these/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“Track Your Expenses Type: Keystone habit”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/track-your-expenses-type-keystone-habit/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [A movement starts because of the social habits of friendship and the strong ties between close acquaintances. 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You must consiously accept the hard work of identifying the cues and rewards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/however-to-modify-a-habit-you-must-decide-to-change-it-you-must/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“Keystone habits make tough choices—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/keystone-habits-make-tough-choices/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [If you believe you can change - if you make it a habit - the change becomes real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/if-you-believe-you-can-change-if-you-make-it-a-habit-the-change/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“a habit is a formula our brain automatically follows: When I see CUE, I will do ROUTINE in order to get a REWARD. 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I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked to the setting in which they choose to start their day. By putting themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/a-lot-of-habitually-creative-people-have-preparation-rituals-linked/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“Habits form and habits grow, Then some time later, habits go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-rajarshi-mukhopadhyay/habits-form-and-habits-grow-then-some-time-later-habits-go/) Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay > [It is a good practice to write at least on page of mantra daily. Many people get better concentration by writing than by chanting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/it-is-a-good-practice-to-write-at-least-on-page-of-mantra-daily-many/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [I feel that between my experience and my mother's, breast cancer is a little bit like someone who lives next door. I know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-nixon/i-feel-that-between-my-experience-and-my-mother-s-breast-cancer-is-a/) [Cynthia Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-nixon/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [Working at home is hard. It tends to give you bad habits. It feels more like you're going to work when you get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beaton/working-at-home-is-hard-it-tends-to-give-you-bad-habits-it-feels-more/) [Kate Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beaton/) > [There are two sorts of content; one is connected with exertion, the other with habits of indolence. The first is a virtue; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-edgeworth/there-are-two-sorts-of-content-one-is-connected-with-exertion-the/) [Maria Edgeworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-edgeworth/) > [The DMK and the Communists may have the habit of lying, but I don't come from a family that lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamilisai-soundararajan/the-dmk-and-the-communists-may-have-the-habit-of-lying-but-i-don-t/) [Tamilisai Soundararajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamilisai-soundararajan/) > [Lust indulged became habit, and habit unresisted became necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/lust-indulged-became-habit-and-habit-unresisted-became-necessity/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [I don't analyze what I'm doing. I've read convincing interpretations of my work, and sometimes I've noticed something that I wasn't aware of, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sherman/i-don-t-analyze-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-read-convincing-interpretations/) [Cindy Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sherman/) [Browse all 4,726 Habit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It wasn’t the trip to Cairo that had caused the shift, scientists were convinced, or the divorce or desert trek. It was that Lisa had focused on changing just one habit—smoking—at first. Everyone in the study had gone through a similar process. 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