Habit Formation Agent Skill
Atomic habits, cue-routine-reward loops, habit stacking, accountability systems, and behavior change
Install
one command, takes just this skill from the repositorynpx skills add https://github.com/cosmicstack-labs/mercury-agent-skills --skill habit-formationThe instruction itself
9 sections, as written by the authorHabit Formation
Build lasting habits using evidence-based behavior change techniques.
The Habit Loop
Cue → Craving → Response → Reward
Make or Break by Changing Each Element
| Element | Make a Habit Stick | Break a Bad Habit |
|---------|-------------------|-------------------|
| Cue | Make it obvious | Make it invisible |
| Craving | Make it attractive | Make it unattractive |
| Response | Make it easy | Make it difficult |
| Reward | Make it satisfying | Make it unsatisfying |
Implementation Strategies
Habit Stacking
*"After [current habit], I will [new habit]."*
Examples:
- *After I pour my morning coffee, I will write 3 things I'm grateful for.*
- *After I brush my teeth at night, I will lay out my workout clothes.*
- *After I sit down at my desk, I will open my task list.*
Two-Minute Rule
New habits should take <2 minutes to start:
- "Run 3 miles" → "Put on running shoes"
- "Write 500 words" → "Open my writing app"
- "Meditate 10 min" → "Sit on my meditation cushion"
Environment Design
- Want to read more? Put a book on your pillow
- Want to eat healthy? Put fruit on the counter, junk in the back
- Want to exercise? Sleep in your workout clothes
- Want to stop checking phone? Keep it in another room
Tracking & Accountability
| Method | How | Why It Works |
|--------|-----|--------------|
| Habit tracker | Check off each day | Visual progress, streak motivation |
| Accountability partner | Daily check-in | Social commitment, external consistency |
| Public commitment | Share your goal | Social pressure, identity reinforcement |
| Contract | Penalty for missing | Loss aversion is powerful |
When It Gets Hard
- Don't miss twice: One slip is a mistake, two is a new pattern
- Never skip two days in a row: The streak resets but identity stays
- Reduce scope: If 10 min is hard, do 2 min. Show up, that's the win.
- Focus on identity: "I'm a runner" beats "I need to run"
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How to use it
Take cosmicstack-labs/habit-formation from the repository into ~/.claude/skills for personal
use, or into .claude/skills inside a project.
The agent identifies a skill by the name field in its header. Two skills with the
same name cannot sit side by side — one of them will be ignored.