The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • For anyone looking to rebuild old habits, form new ones, or start all over, this instant classic “masterfully combines cutting-edge research and captivating stories to reveal how habits shape our lives and how we can shape our habits” (Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive). Named One of the Best Books of the Year by The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times In 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. Praise for The Power of Habit   “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 “Entertaining . . . enjoyable . . . fascinating . . . a serious look at the science of habit formation and change.”—The New York Times Book Review Prologue: The habit cure Part 1 : The habits of individuals. The habit loop : how habits work The craving brain : how to create new habits The golden rule of habit change : why transformation occurs Part 2 : The habits of successful organizations. Keystone habits, or The ballad of Paul O'Neill : which habits matter most Starbucks and the habit of success : when willpower becomes automatic The power of a crisis : how leaders create habits through accident and design How Target knows what you want before you do : when companies predict (and manipulate) habits Part 3 : The habits of societies. Saddleback Church and the Montgomery Bus Boycott : how movements happen The neurology of free will : are we responsible for our habits? Appendix : A reader's guide to using these ideas