How to Change
by Katy Milkman
A Wharton behavioral scientist organizes the research on behavior change by obstacle: getting started (fresh starts), impulsivity (temptation bundling), procrastination (commitment devices), forgetting (cues and plans), laziness (defaults and habits), confidence, and conformity. It is rigorous, readable and unusually honest about what the studies do and do not show.
Read it if…
you want behavior-change tactics with real evidence and a clear map of which to use when.
Skip it if…
you want inspiration; this is science, delivered plainly.
Three things you will actually use
- Start on a fresh-start date: Monday, the first, a birthday.
- Bundle temptations with chores.
- Use commitment devices with real stakes.
Do this first
Pair a temptation (a show, a podcast) with a task you avoid, and allow the temptation only during the task.
Our verdict
The best evidence-based guide to changing behavior; practical and honest.
Compare with other Habits books
Good Habits, Bad Habits
Wendy Wood · Habits
Authoritative and myth-correcting; the science of habit.
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