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This is very important because we can learn from it how to replace a bad habit (smoking) with a good one (exercise)
on December 25, 2016
Duhigg explores what science has to teach us about how habits are formed, how they function, how they can be modified and how they influence our lives and our business world. The book is divided into three parts: The Habits of Individuals, The Habits of Successful Organizations, and the Habits of Societies.
Based on studies of animal behavior and human behavior, we (that is rats, monkeys and humans) form habits the same way. There is a cue of some kind that triggers a habit, followed by some form of routine that has been completed memorized and operates more or less automatically, followed by some form of reward that reinforces the habit. Whether it is buckling our seat belt, brushing out teeth, smoking a cigarette or using heroin, this same habit loop operates in all of us.
The brain creates habits because it simplifies our activities. If we had to consciously decide and think out everything we do every day throughout the day from scratch it would be overwhelming for the brain. Habits are little routines that automate aspects of our behavior. We are not usually conscious that the habit is being formed, and once it is in place we need not expend much thought to follow it. It is a very effective efficiency that our minds use to free us up to think about other things.
Since we now know how a habit is formed and how they function we can modify existing habits and create new ones. We must identify the right cue which leads to the desired routine which is then followed by the reward. We must know in advance, or expect, the reward to motivate us to engage in the routine. The reward generates endorphins in the brain which are powerful motivators. They motivate us to repeat the routine every time the cue occurs. It is a bit more complex than that, but that is the gist of it.
Duhigg goes on to explain in fascinating detail how studies have shown us how we can modify a habit and how to replace one habit with another. This is very important because we can learn from it how to replace a bad habit (smoking) with a good one (exercise).
Certain habits also develop in organizations and in societies and they come together to create a culture, whether it is the culture of a corporation or the culture of a society. Culture, it seems, is primarily driven by key habits.
What I found useful about this book:
This book helps us understand how habits are formed and how we can use them to our benefit, change them when we need to and replace them when necessary. Duhigg does warn the reader that although we understand the way habits are made and altered it is not always easy to do it. Determining the actual cue for example can take some experimentation and work.
Readability/Writing Quality:
The book is very well written. It is engaging. It contains lots of references to studies and science but not in a dry or boring way. It is a series of fascinating stories. It is very well organized.
Notes on Author:
Charles Duhigg is an award winning investigative reporter for the New York Times.
Other Books by This Author:
Smarter, Faster, Better
Related Website:[...]
Three Great Ideas You Can Use:
1. Habits all function in the same basic way: a cue begins a behavior routine which ends in a reward. Once we understand this we can understand how habits work and how to change them or use them.
2. We are manipulated every day by business through habits. Marketing has become in many ways habit focused.
3. Once we know how to form and change a habit we can gain more real control over our own behaviors; we can replace bad habits and create good ones.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
Based on studies of animal behavior and human behavior, we (that is rats, monkeys and humans) form habits the same way. There is a cue of some kind that triggers a habit, followed by some form of routine that has been completed memorized and operates more or less automatically, followed by some form of reward that reinforces the habit. Whether it is buckling our seat belt, brushing out teeth, smoking a cigarette or using heroin, this same habit loop operates in all of us.
The brain creates habits because it simplifies our activities. If we had to consciously decide and think out everything we do every day throughout the day from scratch it would be overwhelming for the brain. Habits are little routines that automate aspects of our behavior. We are not usually conscious that the habit is being formed, and once it is in place we need not expend much thought to follow it. It is a very effective efficiency that our minds use to free us up to think about other things.
Since we now know how a habit is formed and how they function we can modify existing habits and create new ones. We must identify the right cue which leads to the desired routine which is then followed by the reward. We must know in advance, or expect, the reward to motivate us to engage in the routine. The reward generates endorphins in the brain which are powerful motivators. They motivate us to repeat the routine every time the cue occurs. It is a bit more complex than that, but that is the gist of it.
Duhigg goes on to explain in fascinating detail how studies have shown us how we can modify a habit and how to replace one habit with another. This is very important because we can learn from it how to replace a bad habit (smoking) with a good one (exercise).
Certain habits also develop in organizations and in societies and they come together to create a culture, whether it is the culture of a corporation or the culture of a society. Culture, it seems, is primarily driven by key habits.
What I found useful about this book:
This book helps us understand how habits are formed and how we can use them to our benefit, change them when we need to and replace them when necessary. Duhigg does warn the reader that although we understand the way habits are made and altered it is not always easy to do it. Determining the actual cue for example can take some experimentation and work.
Readability/Writing Quality:
The book is very well written. It is engaging. It contains lots of references to studies and science but not in a dry or boring way. It is a series of fascinating stories. It is very well organized.
Notes on Author:
Charles Duhigg is an award winning investigative reporter for the New York Times.
Other Books by This Author:
Smarter, Faster, Better
Related Website:[...]
Three Great Ideas You Can Use:
1. Habits all function in the same basic way: a cue begins a behavior routine which ends in a reward. Once we understand this we can understand how habits work and how to change them or use them.
2. We are manipulated every day by business through habits. Marketing has become in many ways habit focused.
3. Once we know how to form and change a habit we can gain more real control over our own behaviors; we can replace bad habits and create good ones.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
on September 17, 2016
This is more than just a book about why we do what we do, is it called action for our entire society to look within. Page after page as I absorb this incredible knowledge, I'm begin to also institute the cue- routine- reward framework in mind is coaching practice to see if incredible results with my clients. Not only has this book on the spot on the top of my list for referrals to clients and colleagues, but is also woven its way into the tapestry of my speaking and content creation as a wellness entrepreneur. This is more about how we live life from a heart centered place than the title ensues. I feel incredibly lucky to have come across this work as it has changed mindset about the art of living forever. Thank you for your incredible work Charles!
explains numerous techniques for changing and controlling habits and different ways to monitor your habits to better understand
on February 21, 2017
The Power of Habit is a well-written, transformational book analyzing personal, organizational, and societal habits. The author, Charles Duhigg, explains numerous techniques for changing and controlling habits and different ways to monitor your habits to better understand why you do what you do. Charles Duhigg teaches the reader on the complexity of habits and how they influence day-to-day life for individuals, organizations, and society through real life stories. The stories keeps the reader engaged, but I found the stories to be a bit repetitive. This book is a valuable read for anyone looking to break, analyze, or change personal habits and gain a better understanding on how habits impact day-to-day life. This book is a must read if you are looking to instill habits throughout your organization, or change bad employee habits. I had never heard of the Cue→Reward→Routine approach for influencing habits and now have a valuable tool for understanding my habits and how I can change them. The Power of Habit also analyzes willpower and offers techniques on how to reserve willpower to use throughout the day. If you are looking to make a change in your daily life, whether personal, organizational, or societal, READ THIS BOOK. More importantly, what happened to Mandy? Did she really break the habit for biting her nails? (Asking for a friend).
on September 21, 2014
... Or at least close to perfect. It starts with a conscious effort, and with enough repetition, it scientifically becomes natural, and second nature. With enough conscious repetition, the brain (especially the part of the brain called "basal ganglia,") creates new path ways that allows us to perform that action faster and faster. Making the action a reflex. Just like how we can walk without thinking, or we never forget how to ride a bike. Reflexes that are triggered by external cues, that tells your brain, its time to do this. That's why some basketball players can react to a play in a split second, and boxers can dodge a punch even before its thrown.
One of my favorite examples from the book is the very first true story that was presented about a man who lost his short term memory. He couldn't remember anything he did just a minute ago, but he was always able to find his way home. His brain was just wired to find his way home without him consciously knowing how to.
This book really opened my eyes to all my daily habits. I consciously observe why I do things at certain times, and what cues makes me do those things. Now if i want to get into a study mode, I know I have to drink a cup of coffee, and sit at my kitchen table. If I want to get into exercise mode, I turn on my favorite TV show and curl my weights. The Power of Habit, has the power to change the way your view on life and carrying out your day to day activities.
One of my favorite examples from the book is the very first true story that was presented about a man who lost his short term memory. He couldn't remember anything he did just a minute ago, but he was always able to find his way home. His brain was just wired to find his way home without him consciously knowing how to.
This book really opened my eyes to all my daily habits. I consciously observe why I do things at certain times, and what cues makes me do those things. Now if i want to get into a study mode, I know I have to drink a cup of coffee, and sit at my kitchen table. If I want to get into exercise mode, I turn on my favorite TV show and curl my weights. The Power of Habit, has the power to change the way your view on life and carrying out your day to day activities.
on February 28, 2017
Habit is the cause of many sufferings in our lives, whether because we developed a few bad ones, or because someone else carefully designed the habits for us. At the same time, habit can be the source of so many joys and happy times.
This book is no doubt one of the most important books I've read to date.
This book is not a typical self-help book, if you're looking for one, but I think it's still worth a read even for self-help readers. In the worst case scenario, it may reveal why some of the self-help books you've read did not work while others did, and at best, you will find your own self-help methods without additional books.
If you are fascinated by human behavior, and, by extension, your own, and you've always wondered about the more primitive aspects of our brains that have a gripping influence on our lives, this book will no doubt be a great addition to your bookshelf.
This book is no doubt one of the most important books I've read to date.
This book is not a typical self-help book, if you're looking for one, but I think it's still worth a read even for self-help readers. In the worst case scenario, it may reveal why some of the self-help books you've read did not work while others did, and at best, you will find your own self-help methods without additional books.
If you are fascinated by human behavior, and, by extension, your own, and you've always wondered about the more primitive aspects of our brains that have a gripping influence on our lives, this book will no doubt be a great addition to your bookshelf.
on July 11, 2013
There has been a great deal of excellent research on the topic of habits - why and how we acquire them; ways to change them; how habit differs from addiction. This book gets there in the end, but goes too far with too little data. This is primarily a self help book with a single conclusion, that habits are the most important aspect of life with the power to drive personal success and organizational success. The examples suffer from the fallacy of concluding from success: ie this person was successful and it is all because they understood the power of habit management. The implication is then reversed to conclude that if you manage habits you will be successful, but of course there are an enormous number of examples of successful habit management not leading to success - none of these are recounted here.
A disappointment, overstating the case and thereby failing to carry the argument. 62% through I just had to stop reading out of frustration.
A disappointment, overstating the case and thereby failing to carry the argument. 62% through I just had to stop reading out of frustration.
on March 14, 2017
Fantastic book! I have read a lot of uplifting books and this one really did hit home. Yes, it does explain how habits are formed, and it helped my husband more than it helped me. I now see the cues of what he does, especially when it comes to smoking and we were able to pinpoint the cues, WHY he smokes and how he can change his habits.
I also enjoyed the stories in the book, many I can relate to. It's a good read and I would recommend this book to anyone looking to dig a bit deeper in their own lives, and take a self-examination of everything you do.
I never realized how much I ate at work until the book pointed it out and now I have changed those habits as well.
I also enjoyed the stories in the book, many I can relate to. It's a good read and I would recommend this book to anyone looking to dig a bit deeper in their own lives, and take a self-examination of everything you do.
I never realized how much I ate at work until the book pointed it out and now I have changed those habits as well.
on February 23, 2017
This has amazing information and is fairly easy to read. Helped me understand some of what goes on with behavior that seems to be hard to manage, but really exists for a perfectly logical reason once you step back a bit and know more about how the mind and mind/body work.
on February 21, 2017
The Power of Habit was a very thought-provoking book, however, there were some areas that fell flat for me. The first section, on individual habits, was the best. It made me rethink some of my worst habits and replace them with better ones. For example, instead of checking Facebook as often I have downloaded an app for meditation called the Insight Timer. It, too, gives me notifications so my need for instant gratification is being used in a more positive way-- as meditation is better for me than scrolling through Facebook.
The second section on organizational habits was fairly interesting. It allowed me to see organizational habits from both the perspective of the company as well as from the perspective of a consumer. I wish there had been some mention of the habits families or friend groups create. This could have been a great addition. The third section on large-scale social habits was mediocre at best.
Overall, I would recommend the book because the topic is important especially in such a digital age.
The second section on organizational habits was fairly interesting. It allowed me to see organizational habits from both the perspective of the company as well as from the perspective of a consumer. I wish there had been some mention of the habits families or friend groups create. This could have been a great addition. The third section on large-scale social habits was mediocre at best.
Overall, I would recommend the book because the topic is important especially in such a digital age.
