The Power of Habit, Author: Charles Duhigg, Genre: Self Development
“A priceless gift”
This book, The Power of Habit, is a gift I got from Guddu. She is the human who nurtures my soul! While I got this gift a few years ago, it lay unread yet comfortably in my favorite space at home (a double door book cabinet with four shelves).
In hindsight, what prompted me to read it this year (April’24) is connected to a key concept covered in this book i.e. ‘Implementation Intention’. Usually, I go with the flow and pick up books to read at random. However, at the beginning of this year, I shortlisted a set of books to read for 2024. This is my first attempt at being more deliberate, structured and intentional about it. Did you notice what I did there?
Implementation Intention
Implementation intention refers to the act of writing down your approach on how will you go about an activity, with specifics like steps to follow, when, where, with whom etc. Scientifically proven, this small act of writing down an approach massively increases the chances of the activity happening and hence leads to amazing outcomes. I have been setting and writing goals for years, and I know it works but I didn’t understand the science behind it. The secret to achieving your goals is to create an ‘Implementation intention’. If you are wondering how this works, then this book is just the right start for you.
In this book, Charles Duhigg uncovers the science of how our brain and habits work. While at it, he makes sure that it isn’t a boring scholarly research article drowning you in statistics or peppered with complex medical/biological terms. This book is simple to read, and that’s where it draws its power from. For a book which covers complex and transformational content, The Power of Habit is powered by simplicity and the author deserves high praise for that. No wonder it has sold more than 3 million copies!
Why should you read The Power of Habit?
There are several compelling reasons which justify investing time in reading this book, none of those however are more important than quenching the thirst for reading. In addition, what you can look forward to is:
- Excellent Information: The 285 pages in this book are a treasure trove of relevant, highly useful and distilled information around habits. I felt excited with the awareness of how individuals and corporations can, and do utilize the power of habits.
- Compelling Stories: Each concept is explained using a story. Starbucks, hospitals in America, Pepsodent and Civil Rights movement in America – all these prominent organizations and events feature in this book. These entities and events are viewed through a lens of habits and offer unique perspectives. I could inspire at least one friend to buy this book just by sharing one of the stories in this book.
- A Practical Guide: This book offers significant guidance and inspiration to understand: the ‘why’ of habits, ‘what’ is the profound impact of habits, and ‘how’ can those be transformed or further strengthened. I have tried using a few tricks and those seem to make a difference. That’s incredible!
- The Dark Side: Habits can make or break people and institutions. The examples which highlight how habitual behavior can create chaos made me shudder a bit. Would your stomach churn if you get to know that a habit lead someone to unintentionally murder their loved one?
Content Summary
The content is structured in 3 parts and 9 chapters. The concept of Habit loop explained in the first chapter caught my attention as it brought back the memories of Atomic Habits (another significant book, read review here).
This simplicity offered allows the reader to decipher their complex habits, which can feel exciting. The case studies of Pepsodent, Febreze and Alcoholic Anonymous viewed through the lens of habits make for an engaging read.
Thought provoking concepts like Keystone habits and the ability to change habits using a simple act of maintaining a log of actions stand out. The real life cases highlighting the success of these principles subtly encourage the reader to participate in what would otherwise seem a daunting behavioral change endeavor.
The chapters dedicated to Walmart and Ceaser Palace (Casino) are eye-openers. These paint a scary yet powerful picture of how organizations like Walmart and Ceaser Palace deliberately cash-on the habitual behaviors of their customers to supercharge their revenues. A detailed narrative of the notorious incident, wherein Walmart knew about a teenage girl’s pregnancy before her family made me twitch!
Recommendation
I strongly recommend this to anyone looking for an informative, engaging read and dare I say, a transformative read. As a reader, you will feel more aware and informed about your habits and the ‘why’ behind those. Surely, a bare act of reading this book will not make a significant impact however, it is extremely likely that you will feel empowered to act and change your habits to align with your purpose.
Combined with the principles of Atomic Habits (read how Atomic Habits powered my transformation), this book has given me the power to make informed choices and take deliberate actions. I think it can do so, for you too. Happy Reading!
You can buy The Power of Habit here on Amazon.
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