The “Rubber Band Effect”: Why Some People Fall Back Into Old Habits After Progress 

Change is hard. Indeed.

Whether it’s about committing to a healthier lifestyle or adopting better study habits, many people find themselves slipping back into old patterns despite all the good efforts.

This is known as the Rubber Band Effect, where people progress but often snap back to familiar habits and identities, just like the stretched rubber band, which snaps back once the tension is released.

In his book, “Personality Isn’t Permanent” Benjamin Hardy describes the snapback mechanism as the unconscious pull that drags people back into their old habits, identities, and comfort zones. The snapback mechanism occurs when people attempt to change but unconsciously revert to old behaviours due to ingrained beliefs, self-doubt and external influences.

Psychological research suggests that multiple factors contribute to this snapback effect. However, while the pull of past behaviours is strong, it is not impossible to resist them and by understanding the underlying causes and implementing strategies to counteract them, long-term transformation is possible. So, why do we fall back into old habits after progress?

Understanding the “Why” of the Rubber Band Effect

Personality Stability

While individuals can stretch beyond their natural tendencies, their core traits tend to pull them back. Research by Roberts & DelVecchio (2000) found that personality traits become increasingly stable with age, making deep transformation challenging. Similarly, Canli et al. (2001) demonstrated that personality traits correlate with stable neural patterns, reinforcing the idea that behaviour change must go beyond surface-level adjustments.

Why Old Habits Die Hard

Old habits don’t just disappear, they remain wired into the brain, waiting for the right cue to resurface. In “The Power of Habit”, Charles Duhigg explains the Habit Loop Model, where a cue, routine and reward follow in a loop. If the cues remain unchanged, people unconsciously fall back into past routines. Furthermore, Wood & Neal (2007) found that habits are strongly linked to environmental context. This means that without modifying habit triggers, relapse is likely. For example, someone who quits smoking may relapse upon returning to places where they previously smoked.

The Ego Depletion Theory

The Ego Depletion Theory (Baumeister et al., 1998) posits that self-control is a limited resource. Therefore, willpower alone is unreliable. When one’s self-control is depleted, it leads to mental fatigue. This in turn causes individuals to default to familiar behaviors. For example, someone maintaining a strict workout routine may relapse into inactivity after a period of high stress. This highlights why change requires more than motivation, along with strategic reinforcement.

Your Brain’s Resistance to Change

The neural pathways involved in a specific habit strengthen over time with repeated actions. This makes deeply ingrained behaviours difficult to unlearn. The brain is capable of reshaping itself due to neuroplasticity. However, Canli et al. (2001) found that while neuroplasticity, allows for change, old pathways don’t simply disappear. Dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, reinforces habitual behaviours. New habits often don’t provide the same immediate reward as old ones, making them harder to sustain. This neurological resistance is why people revert to old behaviours when faced with stress or uncertainty.

Trauma’s Role in Reverting to Old Identities

Trauma can create rigid self-concepts, making change feel unsafe. Van der Kolk, the author of “The Body Keeps the Score” explains that unresolved trauma can lead to emotional dysregulation. This anchors individuals to past behaviours as a psychological coping mechanism. For example, someone raised in a high-stress environment may struggle to embrace a new, more positive self-image despite external progress.

How to Prevent the Rubber Band Effect

Benjamin Hardy challenges the belief that personality is fixed and argues that people can actively shape who they become.

“If you don’t change your environment, your identity, and your story, you’ll snap back to who you were before.” – Benjamin Hardy, Personality Isn’t Permanent

Redefining Identity to Align with Change

Hardy argues that lasting change requires identity transformation, not just behaviour modification. Instead of “trying” to be productive, individuals must see themselves as a productive person. According to the Possible Selves Theory (Markus & Nurius, 1986) defining a clear, future-oriented identity increases the likelihood of sustaining progress. Instead of focusing on what they are moving away from, individuals must shift their focus to who they are becoming.

Modifying Environment to Break Habit Cues

Charles Duhigg emphasizes that changing external cues is essential for disrupting habitual behaviours. For example, someone trying to eat healthier should keep junk food out of sight and replace it with nutritious options. Similarly, a student trying to focus should create a clutter-free study space, reducing distractions that trigger procrastination. Wood & Neal (2007) found that altering environmental triggers is one of the most effective ways to sustain behavioural change.

Building Resilience Against Ego Depletion

Since self-control is limited, structuring habits to require less effort helps sustain change. Baumeister et al. (1998) recommend strategies such as habit stack and reducing decision fatigue. Habit stacking involves pairing a new habit with an existing one, like meditating after brushing your teeth and Reducing decision fatigue can involve pre-planning meals or other everyday activities to minimise daily choices. By automating behaviours, individuals can minimize reliance on willpower and make lasting change feel effortless.

Healing Underlying Psychological Barriers

For those struggling with deep-seated trauma-related behaviours, addressing underlying emotional wounds is essential and Van der Kolk suggests therapy, mindfulness, and self-awareness practices to help detach from past identities and embrace transformation.

Conclusion

The Rubber Band Effect explains why people revert to old habits, but lasting change is possible. Identity transformation and environmental modifications are crucial to prevent people from unconsciously returning to past behaviours. Research on neural plasticity shows that with reinforcement, new habits can become permanent.
True change is possible when individuals commit fully to their future self and align their actions accordingly. The rubber band only snaps back if you let go—what will you do differently this time?

You may also like to Read: 10 Effective Time Management Techniques, According to Psychology

FAQs 

1. Is personality really fixed, or can it change over time? 

While early research suggested that personality traits are stable, newer perspectives, argue that personality is malleable. Change is possible through intentional self-reinvention, identity shifts, and environmental modifications. 

2. How does habit formation influence the Rubber Band Effect? 

Habits are deeply ingrained behaviours that operate on a cue-routine-reward loop. When people attempt to change without altering their cues or environment, old habits resurface automatically. This explains why someone may stop a bad habit temporarily but relapse when exposed to familiar triggers. 

3. Is lasting change really possible? 

Yes. Neuroplasticity explains how the brain can rewire itself with repetition and reinforcement. While old neural pathways don’t disappear, new ones can become dominant through consistent practice, identity shifts, and structured habit formation.