These habits have helped companies earn billions of dollars when customers eat snacks or wipe counters almost without thinking, often in response to a carefully designed set of daily cues. 

Over the past decade, many companies had perfected the art of creating automatic behaviors — habits — among consumers. 

过去的十年里,许多公司完善了在消费者中培养自动行为（习惯）的艺术。 

This is where developing new habits comes in.

这就是培养新习惯的意义所在。

Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.

相反，我们有意识培养的新习惯会在脑海中行成相似的思维路径，它们能绕开那些原来的道路。

But don't bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they're there to stay.

但不必费力戒除旧习惯;这些惯有程序一旦植入脑海，便会根深蒂固。

But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously develop new habits, we create parallel paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.

但大脑研究人员发现，当我们有意识地培养新习惯时，就会在大脑中形成相应的（神经）通路，甚至创造出全新的脑细胞，这可以使我们的思维跳跃到新的创新轨道。

So it seems paradoxical to talk about habits in the same context as creativity and innovation.

所以，将习惯同创造力和创新在同一语境下进行讨论似乎是自相矛盾的。

“Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting herd,” William Wordsworth said in the 19th century.

19世纪时，威廉·华兹华斯曾说过，“是习惯，而不是选择，在支配那些不善于思考的人。”

Habits are a funny thing.

习惯是个非常有趣的东西。

He has an endearing habit of licking his lips when he's nervous...

他有个一紧张就舔嘴唇的可爱习惯。

A good way to break the habit of eating too quickly is to put your knife and fork down after each mouthful...

改掉吃饭太快的坏习惯有一个好办法，那就是每吃一口就把刀叉放下。

They were in the habit of giving two or three dinner parties a month...

他们每月举办两三次宴会，都成习惯了。

I got into the habit of calling in on Gloria on my way home from work.

我习惯于在下班回家的路上顺便探望格洛丽亚。

good/bad habits

良好习惯；恶习

He has the irritating habit of biting his nails.

他有咬指甲的讨厌习惯。

It's all right to borrow money occasionally, but don't let it become a habit .

偶尔借点钱倒没关系，但不要养成习惯。

I'm not in the habit of letting strangers into my apartment.

我不习惯让陌生人进我家。

I've got into the habit of turning on the TV as soon as I get home.

我习惯了一回家就打开电视。

I'm trying to break the habit of staying up too late.

我正试图改掉熬夜的习惯。

I only do it out of habit .

我这么做只是出于习惯。

I'm a creature of habit (= I have a fixed and regular way of doing things) .

我这人做事总是凭习惯。