How (and why) to create rituals.

The Next Big Idea Daily newsletter (SUBSCRIBE) is written by me, Michael Kovnat, and gathers insights from today’s leading non-fiction authors. It’s a companion to our Next Big Idea Daily podcast, available on Apple or Spotify.

What's the difference between a habit and a ritual?

There's some overlap, of course. Both terms refer to practices that we do regularly, in which the rhythm of the activity is just about as important as the content.

But rituals have a layer of meaning that habits simply don't. Brushing your teeth is a habit; lighting candles before a family meal is a ritual. Slamming down a drink is a (bad?) habit; sipping a sunset cocktail while journaling is a (better?) ritual. And while habits are pretty much exclusively private behaviors, rituals often have a communal or creative element.

Much has been made in recent years of the power of habits, of their ability to support your health and productivity goals. But less has been said about how, if we could elevate some of these habits to the status of rituals, our lives might become a little richer, a little juicier.

That's the thesis Michael Norton puts forth in his new book The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions.

Michael is a professor at the Harvard Business School, a student of human behavior, and according to Wired magazine, one of “50 People Who Will Change the World.” He changed my world just a little bit when he came onto the Next Big Idea Daily podcast and shared some of his key insights.

Hear Michael explain how to improve your life with rituals:

We heard a lot of other big ideas on the show this week, including:

• How to use your fears to guide you toward success, from money expert Farnoosh Torabi .
• How being in your twenties presents special problems, which call for special solutions, from psychologist Meg Jay .
• Why octopuses just might be the most interesting animals on Earth, from marine biologist David Scheel.
• How our culture has been degraded by a mindset of grievance, from New York Times columnist Frank Bruni

I don't know if listening to podcasts is a habit or a ritual for you. But either way, I hope you fire up these big ideas, and that they add a little magic to your life.

By the way, if you're interested in having these and thousands of other big ideas right in your pocket, download the Next Big Idea app.