Michael Norton, in The Ritual Effect, explains that rituals or idiosyncratic behavior is what makes us who we are.

Habit and ritual are different. Habit is automation. Ritual is animation. Habit is the “what.” Ritual is the ” how.” Habit is actions (brush teeth, go to the gym, consume dark green leafy vegetables, etc.) Ritual is emotions. Ritual is the feel good or feel bad that, for example, starts the morning the right way and uplifts a person to experience a tackle-the-day attitude.