Book Brew 178: Word Treasures Part XI

In line with last week’s Quote Vault post, I figured it has also been a long time since I posted a Word Treasures post.

If you are new to this series, these are words I have come across in things I have read recently that are new or interesting words to me. Each includes the definition and the quote where I came across it.

This set is around habits and intention.

Words exist to name the gap between what we intend to do and what we actually become.

• Felicitous (adjective) - well chosen or suited to the circumstances

“But habits play a more felicitous role, too.” - Good Habits, Bad Habits, Wendy Wood

• Epiphenomenon (noun) - a secondary phenomenon accompanying another and caused by it

“People with stronger habits of riding the bus, purchasing fast food, and watching TV news in one study were highly certain about their intentions to do these things, despite the fact that their intentions were epiphenomenal - non-casual, incidental.” - Good Habits, Bad Habits, Wendy Wood

• Putatively (adverb) - commonly accepted or supposed

“The fallout for Tropicana was reputed to be about a $30 million loss in revenue all because the brand decided to trumpet a putatively positive feature of its product.” - Good Habits, Bad Habits, Wendy Wood

• Pantheon (noun) - a group of illustrious or notable persons or things

“Among my personal pantheon of misbelivers, Saul was one of the more likable characters.” - Misbelief, Dan Ariely

Ponder This

1. Build your own pantheon (similar to creating a Council Table I talked about in Book Brew 149). Who are the people (real or fictional) whose habits you actually want to mirror?
2. What intentions of yours have become epiphenomenal? Where are you saying you want something but your habits are telling a different story?

Books/Newsletters

• Good Habits, Bad Habits - Wendy Wood
• Misbelief - Dan Ariely