The Power of Habit is a book about the science of habit formation and how to change bad habits into good ones. It’s written by Charles Duhigg, an investigative reporter for The New York Times. Duhigg draws on his own experiences as well as research from scientists and psychologists to explore why we do what we do – both personally and professionally. He offers strategies for changing bad habits, creating new ones, and establishing routines that work for us instead of against us.
For who is this book for ?
The Power of Habit is for anyone who wants to better understand why they do the things they do, and how they can change their habits for the better. It’s especially relevant for people struggling with addiction, weight gain, procrastination, or other counterproductive behaviors. But it’s also applicable to anyone looking to improve their productivity or performance at work.
Pros :
- The author has firsthand experience with habit change, as well as extensive research
- The book is easy to read and filled with anecdotes and case studies
- It offers clear strategies for changing bad habits into good ones
Cons :
- may be dense for some people
- not much concrete advice or tips offered
- hypotheses and scientific evidence may be difficult to follow/interpret
Learn more about the author
Charles Duhigg is an investigative reporter for The New York Times and the author of The Power of Habit. He has won numerous awards for his work, including a Polk Award for national reporting and a Loeb award for business journalism.
Reader Reviews
“The Power of Habit is an absolutely fascinating book about the science of habit formation. Charles Duhigg does a terrific job explaining how habits work, and more importantly, how they can be changed. This isn’t just theory – Duhigg shares case studies from his own reporting career that demonstrate the power of habits to change people’s lives for the better. If you’re looking to understand why you do what you do (or want to help someone else break bad habits), this is the perfect book.”
“The Power of Habit is fantastic. It changed the way I think about my own habits – and how to change them. Insightful, interesting, and with a clear message: our habits determine much more than we realize.”
“Duhigg is a master of digging down to the root cause of complex behaviors.”
“The Power of Habit is an absolutely fascinating book about the science of habit formation. Charles Duhigg does an excellent job explaining how habits work, and more importantly, how to change them. I never realized just how pervasive habits are in our lives until reading this book, and now I see them everywhere. This is a must-read for anyone interested in self-improvement or understanding human behavior.”