Jay Shetty & Dr. Rangan Chaterjee ON How to Break a Bad Habit

Ever feel like your best intentions keep colliding with the same dead ends?

Real, lasting change isn’t about punishing diets or brute-force willpower—it’s about recognizing what truly drives your daily decisions.

In this On Purpose episode, Jay Shetty welcomed Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, a UK-based physician and bestselling author whose holistic methods blend medical expertise with genuine self-awareness. In his latest book, Make Change That Lasts, Dr. Chatterjee shows how environment, mindset, and emotional triggers can unite for sustainable well-being—one thoughtful choice at a time.

Medicine Combined With Philosophy

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee acknowledged to Jay Shetty that up to 50% of what he learned in medical school was untrue. He explains that he was taught to collect patient symptoms, assign a diagnosis, and prescribe medication. He now understands that this framework overlooks the sheer complexity of everyday living. There are many other factors to take into account when dealing with chronic diseases, such as poor diet, sleep deprivation, loneliness, and emotional stress.

The physician learned about all these factors while practicing medicine and engaging deeply with his patients. He even lived alongside them for a BBC documentary, so he got to experience firsthand how relationships, work stress, and personal beliefs shape a person’s well-being.

Dr. Chatterjee blends the best of Eastern and Western medicine. He explains to Jay Shetty that Western medicine is excellent for acute conditions—like urgent surgeries or life-threatening infections, yet it often falls short with lifestyle-driven ailments. So, to complement it, the physician integrates into his treatment practices inspired by Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and modern psychology. He believes that lasting change comes from a place of self-discovery, and so his approach is patient-centric.

People Make Their Own Decisions

Dr. Chatterjee admitted to Jay Shetty that he never tells his patients what to do or not do. Instead of giving commands, he focuses on meeting people where they are. According to him, lasting behavioral change comes from a deep, internal desire not dictated by others. When doctors tell their patients, “Quit smoking now,” they risk unintentionally pushing them into short-lived compliance or outright resistance.

The physician sees his role as providing honest information about the patient's health. For example, he can discuss the health dangers and how smoking can worsen conditions like heart disease, yet he accepts the patient's decision to keep smoking after understanding the risks. He respects everyone's autonomy and lets them decide their healing trajectory.

While this strategy may seem hands-off, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee assures Jay Shetty that it increases trust between the doctor and patient. By refraining from giving orders, Dr. Chatterjee observed that this respectful attitude frequently results in better compliance than a lecture ever would.

The Power of Your Environment

If you want sustainable change, you must look at your environment. Dr. Chatterjee told Jay Shetty that the environment often overpowers willpower—if you plan to eat healthier, you should stop bringing sugar into your home. He strongly recommends assessing your surroundings and adjusting them depending on your goals.

Jay Shetty noted that the environment doesn't need to stop at the physical dimension. It also includes personal relationships because your entourage's habits pour over into yours. So, the physician urges the listeners to make “first-line” changes in their environment, whether by clearing out temptation from the pantry or socializing more with supportive people.

Digital habits are also a factor that influences our health. If your phone is the first object you grab each morning, you shape your mental environment. Constant news alerts or an unending social media scroll can heighten anxiety, which, in turn, drives unhealthy coping habits. By making small but strategic shifts—like disabling non-essential notifications or choosing offline activities—you can start the day on a calmer note.

How to Break a Habit

One of Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s tools is the 3 Fs exercise: Feel, Feed, Find. For example, this is how you apply it when you have late-night sugar cravings:

• Feel: Pausing the moment you crave something unhealthy and ask: “What am I feeling right now?” If you just ate dinner, you’re likely not physically hungry. Are you stressed, lonely, or seeking a reward after a tough day?
• Feed: Once you identify that feeling—stress or boredom, for instance—the second step is exploring how food feeds that feeling. Do sweets briefly soothe your nerves? Do they offer comfort or a mental break?
• Find: With that recognition, the third step is to find an alternative that meets the same emotional need. Perhaps you can run a warm bath, do a short yoga session, or phone a friend for connection.

The physician told Jay Shetty that the point isn’t to shame yourself for wanting ice cream but to replace it with an activity that nurtures you without the negative side effects.

From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion

According to Dr. Chatterjee’s philosophy, people rarely maintain behaviors fueled by fear, shame, or negative self-talk. While resolutions based on self-punishment may carry you through the initial week of January, they usually collapse under the weight of daily stress. However, if you decide to change from a place of self-compassion and because you have an intrinsic motivation, then the change has more chances to stick in the long term.

For instance, if you intend to meditate daily, missing just one session could trigger a flood of self-reproach. Instead of labeling yourself as “weak” or “undisciplined,” you can respond with curiosity. Ask yourself, "Why did I skip meditation this morning? Was I genuinely exhausted, or was there a deeper emotional hurdle?" By replacing shame with gentle inquiry, you keep the door open to consistent growth. Dr. Rangan Chatterjee told Jay Shetty that the real obstacle to making change that lasts is often the energy behind the behavior—whether it originates from fear or from a sense of self-worth.

Trust Your Body

The overflow of health information can make people feel paralyzed by conflicting viewpoints. Dr. Chatterjee shares with Jay Shetty how equally credible experts can cite research to justify polar-opposite diets. The question arises: whose plan should you follow?

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee advises the listeners to trust their bodies more than any experts. He explains to Jay Shetty that you can try a diet that seems fit for you and then adjust it accordingly or change it entirely, depending on your body's response to it. Your personal experience is the ultimate benchmark to base your decisions on.

Emotional Stress Is Never Neutral

Dr. Chatterjee told Jay Shetty that emotional stress builds up if left unaddressed. People focus on physical stress—like lack of sleep or strenuous exercise—but overlook how everyday frustrations can shape their choices. The physician believes that every small stressor invites a corresponding small response. By choosing not to respond negatively to someone's action (such as someone cutting you off in traffic), you protect yourself from unnecessary emotional strain.

If you find it challenging to move on from a frustrating incident, think about what internal insecurity it brought up. This self-reflection helps you uncover the root of your reaction, whether it’s feeling disrespected or holding onto unresolved anger. Practicing emotional hygiene goes beyond “positive thinking;” it’s about regaining control over how you respond so you don’t unintentionally sabotage your health goals.

3-Step Morning Routine

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee sees morning rituals as an opportunity to “program” your day with the energy you wish to embody. One central practice involves three daily questions:

1. Gratitude Check: What is one thing you deeply appreciate about your life?
2. Quality for the Day: What quality would you like to showcase to the world today?
3. Envisioning Actions: How would that quality look in your everyday interactions?

You prepare yourself by naming a desired quality—like patience, compassion, or calm. Dr. Rangan Chatterjee suggests picturing real scenarios, such as traffic jams or tense emails, and mentally rehearsing a better response. Later in the day, you can take a moment to consider what went well and what you might refine tomorrow. This combination of morning intention and evening reflection cements a kinder, more forgiving attitude.

Fitness Trackers: Yes or No?

In a society captivated by data, fitness trackers play a significant role, claiming to ensure greater health awareness. Dr. Chatterjee told Jay Shetty that, used correctly, they can reveal patterns, and motivate gentle course corrections, reinforcing your sense of control.

However, some users can fall into anxious obsessiveness, checking their stats multiple times a day and feeling distressed when the numbers decline. Dr. Rangan Chatterjee refers to this as overdependence on external validation; in this case, data might be running you instead. Similarly, studies reveal a placebo-like effect: if a tracker says you slept poorly, you might feel tired—even if you genuinely got a solid night’s rest.¹‍

So, Dr. Chatterjee and Jay Shetty suggest thinking critically and understanding your relationship with your device. The goal is to become self-aware of your habits, not to engage in self-criticism.

Building True Ownership Over Your Health

Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s book, Make Change That Lasts, underscores the importance of accountability and personal investment in health. Whenever you catch yourself saying, “I tried this because someone told me to,” or, “I have no choice—my coworker made me do it,” you’re denying your power. Dr Rangan Chatterjee believes a more sustainable route is to see each habit and response as your choice.

While environment and relationships do play a role, relying solely on them—like using an app for motivation or a friend for workout guidance—can hinder the development of your inner guidance system. Jay Shetty points out that outsourcing decision-making can lead to feelings of resentment, but trusting yourself encourages responsible exploration and learning mistakes.

More From Jay Shetty

Listen to the entire On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast episode “Dr. Rangan Chaterjee ON #1 Way to Break a Bad Habit Why 50 of What Doctors Learn in Medical School Turns Out Wrong” now in the iTunes store or on Spotify. For more inspirational stories and messages like this, check out Jay’s website at jayshetty.me.

¹Erdal, Kristi. “Just Thinking You Slept Poorly Can Hurt Your Performance.” Web log. Harvard Business Review (blog), September 2014. https://hbr.org/2014/09/just-thinking-you-slept-poorly-can-hurt-your-performance.

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