Smarter Faster Better
by Charles Duhigg
Duhigg's second book covers motivation, teams, focus, goal-setting, decision-making and more through stories: a Marine boot camp, a plane crash, a TV show's writers room. Each chapter stands alone and some are brilliant. It lacks the single unifying idea of his habit book, so it feels like an excellent magazine rather than a method.
Read it if…
you enjoy well-reported stories and want a broad tour of productivity research.
Skip it if…
you want a system; there is a short appendix of tactics and little else to apply directly.
Three things you will actually use
- Make choices that put you in control to spark motivation.
- Pair a stretch goal with SMART sub-goals.
- Build mental models by telling yourself the story of the day ahead.
Do this first
Use the chapter on mental models: before your next task, narrate to yourself what you expect to happen.
Our verdict
Smart, uneven and enjoyable; stronger as a reader than as a toolkit.
Compare with other Focus books
Stolen Focus
Johann Hari · Focus
A broad, readable investigation; better at explaining the problem than at solving it.
CLICK TO SEE
Flow
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi · Focus
A foundational, somewhat heavy book; the ideas repay the effort.
CLICK TO SEEBrowse all Focus book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
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