Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Random House (2013), Edition: 1st
Language
Original language
English
Description
Business. Psychology. Self-Improvement. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER This instant classic explores how we can change our lives by changing our habits. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Wall Street Journal Financial TimesIn The Power of Habit, award-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to the sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive, and achieving success is understanding how habits work. As Duhigg shows, by harnessing this new science, we can transform our businesses, our communities, and our lives. With a new Afterword by the author Sharp, provocative, and useful.Jim Collins Few [books] become essential manuals for business and living. The Power of Habit is an exception. Charles Duhigg not only explains how habits are formed but how to kick bad ones and hang on to the good.Financial Times A flat-out great read.David Allen, bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity Youll never look at yourself, your organization, or your world quite the same way.Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of Drive and A Whole New Mind Entertaining . . . enjoyable . . . fascinating . . . a serious look at the science of habit formation and change.The New York Times Book Review.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member EowynA
This is an easily digested, very readable book about how habits are formed. It talks about the essential parts of a habit, and how really unconscious it becomes. It is filled with stories of how specific habits have been created.
The first section is about the habits of individuals, and how they
Part two is about habits of successful organizations. The story that began this section was about Paul O'Neill and his transformation of Alcoa Aluminum company. It talks about how he made worker safety a corporate habit, and the changes that needed to be made to make it a habit. Many of the components were familiar thanks to another corporate internal improvement process that I know as the Corrective and Preventative Action (CPAS) process.
The final section is about habits of societies. He tells the story of the rise of the Saddleback Church in Orange County, CA, and interprets the Rosa Parks story of the Civil Rights Movement in terms of habits of societies. I found it fascinating!
The book is not presented with footnotes, so one might wonder at its scientific rigor. However, there are sixty pages of endnotes that key on various statements in each chapter, and provide the citations that back it up. For instance, a footnote to the discussion about Alcoholics Anonymous introduces the more technical psychological terminology of "cognitive behavioral therapy" and provides a paragraph introducing the technical approaches to the study of habits, with journal citations. A note keyed to "These organizational habits -- or 'routines' " cites further reading materials of books and scholarly articles for three and a half pages, ranging in publication dates from 1964 to 2005. So the underpinnings of the book are clearly presented for the more serious reader investigating habits, without confusing the more casual reader.
The Appendix on "The Reader's Guide to Using these Ideas" was not present in the edition I read, but if it is as down-to-earth as the rest of the book, it will be dynamite.
I give the book 5 stars, and Highly recommend it. I note that it was mentioned in a feature story in either Time or Newsweek last week.
The first section is about the habits of individuals, and how they
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are formed. I found myself talking with my dental hygienist about one of the illustrative stories -- about the rise of Pepsodent. Early in the 1900s, a new tooth paste came on the market, Pepsodent. The book explains how this product changed many people's habits to include brushing their teeth every day, improving dental hygiene across the nation. Part two is about habits of successful organizations. The story that began this section was about Paul O'Neill and his transformation of Alcoa Aluminum company. It talks about how he made worker safety a corporate habit, and the changes that needed to be made to make it a habit. Many of the components were familiar thanks to another corporate internal improvement process that I know as the Corrective and Preventative Action (CPAS) process.
The final section is about habits of societies. He tells the story of the rise of the Saddleback Church in Orange County, CA, and interprets the Rosa Parks story of the Civil Rights Movement in terms of habits of societies. I found it fascinating!
The book is not presented with footnotes, so one might wonder at its scientific rigor. However, there are sixty pages of endnotes that key on various statements in each chapter, and provide the citations that back it up. For instance, a footnote to the discussion about Alcoholics Anonymous introduces the more technical psychological terminology of "cognitive behavioral therapy" and provides a paragraph introducing the technical approaches to the study of habits, with journal citations. A note keyed to "These organizational habits -- or 'routines' " cites further reading materials of books and scholarly articles for three and a half pages, ranging in publication dates from 1964 to 2005. So the underpinnings of the book are clearly presented for the more serious reader investigating habits, without confusing the more casual reader.
The Appendix on "The Reader's Guide to Using these Ideas" was not present in the edition I read, but if it is as down-to-earth as the rest of the book, it will be dynamite.
I give the book 5 stars, and Highly recommend it. I note that it was mentioned in a feature story in either Time or Newsweek last week.
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LibraryThing member zzshupinga
“The Power of Habit” is one of those rare books that I started recommending before I even finished it. Charles Duhigg writes a practical book that pulls from multiple sources to explain how habits work, how they’re developed, how they’re formed in the brain, and how we might go about
This is a book that anyone, anywhere can get something out of. While Duhigg doesn’t provide specifics of how to change habits in my ARC, (there will be an appendix in the final addition that may do so) there is still ample evidence in the examples of things that you can do and think about as ways to change/modify the habits you’ve built over a lifetime. Overall this is a fascinating book that made me think more about why I do what I do and how I might be able to change it.
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transforming them. Written in the style of Malcolm Gladwell’s books, Charles translates scientific language into clear, concise, and easy to understand for the average reader. He breaks the book down into three main sections--”The Habits of Individuals,” “The Habits of Successful Organizations,” and “The Habits of Societies”--and provides clear examples to back up what he’s written and his examples cover a wide range. For example, he writes about how Tony Dungy changed habits of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to mold them into a winning football team. And he talks about how the former CEO of ALECO championed safety in order to increase company profits. This is a book that anyone, anywhere can get something out of. While Duhigg doesn’t provide specifics of how to change habits in my ARC, (there will be an appendix in the final addition that may do so) there is still ample evidence in the examples of things that you can do and think about as ways to change/modify the habits you’ve built over a lifetime. Overall this is a fascinating book that made me think more about why I do what I do and how I might be able to change it.
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LibraryThing member jorgearanda
A light and pretty engaging presentation of the influence of our habits in everyday life. However, as the book moves beyond the individual and into the organization and society, it loses some of its strength---the chapter on habit-driven social change is quite a stretch. But it's entertaining
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nonetheless, and the book as a whole has already started to be useful as a guide to examine and change my habits. Show Less
LibraryThing member AmberTheHuman
Since this is a book club book, I won't say too much in my review. I liked this, and I felt like the stories were quite interesting. Definitely learned some interesting things about history/human behavior/companies. But the book didn't really know what it was - is it a self-help book, or a Gladwell
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'let's change the world' book? Show Less
LibraryThing member hopetillman
I found this a very readable treatment of the power of habits. Duhigg explains the habit loop: cue, routine, and reward. The cue tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which behavior to use). The routine can be physical, mental or emotional. The reward helps your brain figure out if this
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loop is worth remembering for the future. The author uses examples from a variety of venues to make his points: Alcoholics Anonymous, the Rhode Island Hospital, Claude Hopkins and the marketing of Pepsodent, Alcoa, and Starbucks, among others. The author draws on academic studies, interviews, and research conducted at a number of companies, but the use of footnotes/references does not overwhelm the message of the book; they are in a notes section at the end. The message is that habits can be changed but the process requires understanding the how and why underlying a habit and consciously working to rebuild the habit into what is desired. Show Less
LibraryThing member sworsnup
Easy to understand and enlightening. This is not a step-by-step guide to bettering yourself, but a enlightening set of thoughts to keep in mind during your day-to-day business/personal life.
LibraryThing member gpeddy
I've just finished reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It's due to be published in early March and I'm glad I received a copy ahead of time. I started the book by flipping it open and reading from the middle. I read a random chapter at a time, then realized I'd never read the first few
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chapters! This was a motivating book in that it has made me examine some of my habits more closely and determine which I would like to change. The book was full of great stories - some I had heard before, but never really knew the story leading up to the story. I highly recommend this for anyone interested in changing their own, or their organizations, habits. Show Less
LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
Early on while listening to this audiobook, I was ready to eject the disc and forget the whole thing. The content was shaping up to be just another business book on how to maximize profits. Take the story of Claude C. Hopkins for example. He was an American businessman and advertising pioneer who
In spite of celebrating the likes of Claude C. Hopkins, I kept listening. After a while I got the impression of a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on. For the most part, this book wants to be a statistical how-to manual for reforming individuals and businesses, but underneath all the rationality lurks a dark side. It's one thing to bite your nails and wish you could stop, but it's another thing entirely to wield the power of habit to manipulate others. More on this in a moment.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg breaks down the structure of a habit into three parts: cue, action and reward. He goes on to show how it's overwhelmingly easier to alter a habit rather than cease doing it entirely. For the bad habits, one need only change the destructive part of the habit, the action, and keep the other parts intact. This works provided an appropriate substitute is found.
The most influential parts for me were the sections on small winds and weak ties. Small winds are like a controlled butterfly effect -- small changes leveraged in the present so that bigger changes can be enacted later on. Weak ties relate to the relational bonds between people. There are family and friends and there are complete strangers, and somewhere in between are the weak ties. A surprisingly strong connection, these are the people you may know of, but not very well. Or you may not know them at all even though they belong to your community, church, etc. Movements are born and political campaigns are won using these weak ties.
The section on corporate retailers (Target being the given example) takes us to more uncomfortable territory. Here they mine consumer buying data to predict a customer's future buying needs. Hardly innocuous coupon advertising; this is big brother stuff, and to the book's credit, it admits the same thing. Profits are up! But so are intrusions of privacy! (Jekyll and Hyde.) We all know this is going on, but to what extent?
The last section ventures into the territory of habit versus free will with biting examples of gambling addiction and committing involuntary manslaughter... while asleep! This isn't your feel good biz org manual anymore. It's this dichotomy that seals the deal for The Power of Habit being one of the most important reads this year.
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applied the science of habits towards helping clients sell products. Active in the early 20th century, Mr. Hopkins is credited with promoting daily teeth brushing by showing that doing so would remove a film that forms naturally on the teeth. Never mind that brushing was overkill (swishing water in your mouth will do the job), people nevertheless bought into the new habit, and millions of dollars were made. Ahh, advertising.In spite of celebrating the likes of Claude C. Hopkins, I kept listening. After a while I got the impression of a Jekyll and Hyde thing going on. For the most part, this book wants to be a statistical how-to manual for reforming individuals and businesses, but underneath all the rationality lurks a dark side. It's one thing to bite your nails and wish you could stop, but it's another thing entirely to wield the power of habit to manipulate others. More on this in a moment.
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg breaks down the structure of a habit into three parts: cue, action and reward. He goes on to show how it's overwhelmingly easier to alter a habit rather than cease doing it entirely. For the bad habits, one need only change the destructive part of the habit, the action, and keep the other parts intact. This works provided an appropriate substitute is found.
The most influential parts for me were the sections on small winds and weak ties. Small winds are like a controlled butterfly effect -- small changes leveraged in the present so that bigger changes can be enacted later on. Weak ties relate to the relational bonds between people. There are family and friends and there are complete strangers, and somewhere in between are the weak ties. A surprisingly strong connection, these are the people you may know of, but not very well. Or you may not know them at all even though they belong to your community, church, etc. Movements are born and political campaigns are won using these weak ties.
The section on corporate retailers (Target being the given example) takes us to more uncomfortable territory. Here they mine consumer buying data to predict a customer's future buying needs. Hardly innocuous coupon advertising; this is big brother stuff, and to the book's credit, it admits the same thing. Profits are up! But so are intrusions of privacy! (Jekyll and Hyde.) We all know this is going on, but to what extent?
The last section ventures into the territory of habit versus free will with biting examples of gambling addiction and committing involuntary manslaughter... while asleep! This isn't your feel good biz org manual anymore. It's this dichotomy that seals the deal for The Power of Habit being one of the most important reads this year.
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LibraryThing member gkiggins
Very spot on for demonstrating how and why habits form. Insightful for reforming bad habits into good ones. A useful tool on many levels.
LibraryThing member rypotpie
Notes: willpower is in limited supply -- it is like a muscle that has to be exercised.
Habits have a form: craving, stimulus, behavior, reward. It is easiest to modify habits rather than eradicate them.
Habits have a form: craving, stimulus, behavior, reward. It is easiest to modify habits rather than eradicate them.
LibraryThing member David.Cooper
Best book I've read all year
LibraryThing member castiron
An interesting look at how we form habits and why habits are so hard to break. The business examples were actually quite interesting as well.
LibraryThing member ehousewright
Figure out your cues, figure out your rewards and then change the routines that fit in between. Obviously not easy, but some techniques here that give you hope that you can control some things you might not have thought you could. Lots of examples.
LibraryThing member jmoncton
This is one of those books that is filled with interesting stories and anecdotes that make for a lively discussion at the dinner table. Although I originally picked up this book hoping to change some mindless eating habits, it really is not one of those personal growth books with a 12 step program
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for kicking a habit. But, I did learn learn some interesting science about how much our lives and choices are ruled by habits and found the information in the book very entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member msf59
The title says it all. Our lives our habit driven, if we realize it or not. The author calls it the “Habit Loop”, brushing our teeth, tying our shoes, reaching for that piece of chocolate or second glazed-donut, if we really need it or not. Replacing the bad habits with better habits is key and
Duhigg expands and examines this habit system for all facets of our lives, from social movements, to alcoholism, gambling, religion and of course marketing, which is built on our habitual backs. This was all interesting stuff but I mostly wanted more guidance for “me”. Selfish? Probably. Maybe that’s another habit I should shake. Ooh, look… cookies!
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that’s what I found the most useful in this book. Duhigg expands and examines this habit system for all facets of our lives, from social movements, to alcoholism, gambling, religion and of course marketing, which is built on our habitual backs. This was all interesting stuff but I mostly wanted more guidance for “me”. Selfish? Probably. Maybe that’s another habit I should shake. Ooh, look… cookies!
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LibraryThing member StephenBarkley
St. Paul expressed the frustration:
"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15 ESV).
Why do we persist in doing what we don't want to do? Why do we bite our nails, eat in front of the television, and check our social media
In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains the habit cycle and suggests ways to co-opt that cycle for good.
A habit loop consists of three elements.
1. Cue: This is something that triggers the habit. For an overeater this might be sitting in front of the television.
2. Routine: This is the content of the habit—smoking, drinking, eating, name your vice.
3. Reward: This is the feeling of satisfaction you receive when the habit is temporarily satiated.
The more times we run a certain routine, the deeper the habit is ingrained in lives.
The key to changing these is understanding what triggers the cue and substituting a different routine that delivers the same reward. Say the bad habit is biting your nails. The trigger might be boredom when you have spare time. Substituting a healthier routine such as having a book on hand to reach for may give you the same sense of satisfaction as a set of nails closely bitten.
Duhigg doesn't stop with personal habits, he carries the theme on to the organizational habits. What cue-routine-reward cycles do we mindlessly run through in our churches?
Changing habits is hard work, but understanding how they work is a healthy first step on the path.
"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate" (Romans 7:15 ESV).
Why do we persist in doing what we don't want to do? Why do we bite our nails, eat in front of the television, and check our social media
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compulsively? Habits. Habits are patterns of behaviour imprinted so deeply on our brain that they function without conscious thought.In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains the habit cycle and suggests ways to co-opt that cycle for good.
A habit loop consists of three elements.
1. Cue: This is something that triggers the habit. For an overeater this might be sitting in front of the television.
2. Routine: This is the content of the habit—smoking, drinking, eating, name your vice.
3. Reward: This is the feeling of satisfaction you receive when the habit is temporarily satiated.
The more times we run a certain routine, the deeper the habit is ingrained in lives.
The key to changing these is understanding what triggers the cue and substituting a different routine that delivers the same reward. Say the bad habit is biting your nails. The trigger might be boredom when you have spare time. Substituting a healthier routine such as having a book on hand to reach for may give you the same sense of satisfaction as a set of nails closely bitten.
Duhigg doesn't stop with personal habits, he carries the theme on to the organizational habits. What cue-routine-reward cycles do we mindlessly run through in our churches?
Changing habits is hard work, but understanding how they work is a healthy first step on the path.
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LibraryThing member bragan
I have kind of mixed feelings about this book. It talks about a lot of things that are, in themselves, pretty interesting, from how marketers convinced people to use toothpaste and Fabreze, to how a lack of inter-departmental communication was responsible for a deadly fire in a London Underground
But I'm not sure all of these anecdotes really add up to anything coherent. Duhigg's concept of what constitutes a "habit" -- basically, a prompt leading to an action leading to some expected reward or benefit -- is so broad as to encompass practically all of human behavior, and, rather than a close examination of the concept of habits, the book feels more like a loose collection of stories drawn semi-randomly from the fields of psychology, business and sociology. Which is interesting enough, but not really very satisfying.
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station, to why Rosa Parks' unwillingness to give up her seat proved so pivotal to the civil rights movement when others before her had done the same thing with no results. But I'm not sure all of these anecdotes really add up to anything coherent. Duhigg's concept of what constitutes a "habit" -- basically, a prompt leading to an action leading to some expected reward or benefit -- is so broad as to encompass practically all of human behavior, and, rather than a close examination of the concept of habits, the book feels more like a loose collection of stories drawn semi-randomly from the fields of psychology, business and sociology. Which is interesting enough, but not really very satisfying.
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LibraryThing member stacy_chambers
Excellent tome on why we do the things we do. Turns out that the neural pathways for your bad habits never go away, but you can create new neural pathways to override them.
This is also a big eye opener about how businesses use our data to advertise to us. Did you know Target can often tell when
This is also a big eye opener about how businesses use our data to advertise to us. Did you know Target can often tell when
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you're pregnant based on the purchases you make? If you've received a flier from them recently, chances are, it's a different flier than your neighbor got. Show Less
LibraryThing member atiara
I thought this book was interesting light reading. It was great for reading at the airport and on the plane. I'm not sure the author's writing style is for me, though. This book discusses the roots of habits in humans and ways to change those habits. I think there's more self-help type material in
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the appendices, which I did not have. Show Less
LibraryThing member jcopenha
An interesting look at personal habits, organizational habits, and societal habits. While there is some interesting facts in here, particularly the data mining done by major corporations, I think the last 2/3rds of the book were a bit of a stretch to fall into the same "habit" cycle the author
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presents in the beginning of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member mochap
I must admit, reading this book has provoked a surprising emotional roller-coaster ride for me. While I'm reading the book (a LT Early Reviewer book), I am engrossed and fascinated (mostly-- IMO a bit too much focus on football at the beginning, but that's just 'cause I'm not much of a fan). I have
But by the same token, as soon as I put the book down for a day or so, I find myself dreading picking it back up. I'm sure that says more about me and my ambivalence for change (and the implied expectation I've placed on myself to use this book as a mechanism to change some entrenched behaviors that I've struggled with for years). I have a feeling this book will haunt me for a while, and that I'll pick it up again and again, as I work my way to a healthier, more balanced life.
Definitely worth the read.
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had a very simplistic view of habit change ("do something for 21 days and it will become a habit", "I just have to change my habits.", etc.), and was surprised and impressed by the stories of organizational change (particularly the story of Alcoa), as it is conceptualizer by smart thinkers as the natural result of habit change. But by the same token, as soon as I put the book down for a day or so, I find myself dreading picking it back up. I'm sure that says more about me and my ambivalence for change (and the implied expectation I've placed on myself to use this book as a mechanism to change some entrenched behaviors that I've struggled with for years). I have a feeling this book will haunt me for a while, and that I'll pick it up again and again, as I work my way to a healthier, more balanced life.
Definitely worth the read.
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LibraryThing member CarolO
This book starts with our personal habits – explaining the habit cycle and how to tweak that cycle to change a habit. It then goes on to look at how habits evolve intentionally and unintentionally in businesses and how the habits of peer pressure can bring about social change.
A multitude of real
I highly recommend this book. It is very readable but packed with enough research to make you take it seriously.
A multitude of real
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life examples keep the theories and science relative.I highly recommend this book. It is very readable but packed with enough research to make you take it seriously.
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LibraryThing member JimSerger
I really enjoyed reading this book--what I found the best was how I knew about stories that had happened, but I leaned in detail what led up to the headline. From a wide range of topics on Habits, I was able to grasp why people, were doing what they were doing. Charles Duhigg did and excellent job
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on his research, and I applaud him on his habit of digging deeper on a story. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ronrose1
My usual habit is to pick up a mystery novel and engross myself in the imagined problems of nonfiction characters. I decided to change this habit and try this nonfiction book with the rather intriguing title that professed to help identify our habits and show us how to change them. Habits are those
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things we initially choose to do, which have evolved, through repeated use into things we do without thinking. Written in language even I can understand, the book breaks down the pattern of habits into three parts that we can recognize and change. The author illustrates that by first identifying components of a habit, we can then work to change them. This is a self help book that may actually be of some help, if we want to change. This book was provided for review by Random House. Now, where did I put that mystery novel? Show Less
LibraryThing member KHusser
The Power of Habit is a book for those who are curious why we do the things we do and how to change those patterns. Backed up by clinical and real-world business examples, Duhigg, has presented effective methods to control certain addictions, manage personal willpower, and change buying decisions
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within consumer groups. Human nature is driven by emotional and psychological experiences and choices, and the author does a thorough job of breaking down the rationalization for these decisions and how to change those habits, (which research has shown is 40% of our daily routine.) The book is a great read for students, supervisors, or parents who need to succeed in changing the opinions of others or in themselves. Broken into individually-driven choices (rewarded by our “habit loop”), successful, “keystone habits” of organizations, and positive habits or “movements” in societies, The Power of Habit gives the reader a practical view of strategies that have shown improvement in various organizations and individuals. The publication date for this book is scheduled for March 20th, 2012 according to Amazon’s website. Show Less
Awards
Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year (Longlist — 2012)
Collection
DDC/MDS
| 158.1 |
Original publication date
2012
Physical description
400 p.; 5.08 inches
ISBN
1847946240 / 9781847946249