The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
TLC Book Score
- Readability 5/5 – Very well written. Clear presentation of information without sacrifice of scientific detail.
- Interest/Entertainment Factor 5/5 – Engaging examples used to illustrate the power of habit in individuals, organizations, and in society.
- Actionable Content 3/5 – Greatest proportion of actionable information was included in an appendix, not fully developed.
- Overall Score 4/5 – Excellent book, definitely recommended!
Reading Stats
- Audiobook: 10 hours, 53 minutes
- Kindle Reading Estimate: 4 hours, 25 minutes (This assumes you don’t read the research notes at the end)
- Paperback on Amazon: 371 pages (This page count likely includes the research notes)
TLC Book Review
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is divided into three sections: The Habits of Individuals, The Habits of Successful Organizations, and The Habits of Societies. Through a number of compelling case studies, the existence and power of habits in our daily lives is elucidated and explained, and the habit loop, a repeating sequence of cue, routine, and reward is introduced. In essence, our basal ganglia distills frequently repeating patterns that are triggered by a repeatable cue and satisfied by a predictable reward, into an automated behavior we call a habit. By automating a sequence of behaviors, the brain is able to conserve mental effort. Both the cue and the reward register actively in our brains, but once a habit loop is well established, our decision-making centers remain quiet while the routine portion of the habit loop is engaged. This illustrates why we can seem to be at the mercy of our habits. Why it feels as though we have no conscious control, or conversely, why it takes such a great deal of willpower to override a habitual action.
While I had never understood habits clearly at such a fundamental level, personal experience and a lifelong struggle to overcome or change a particular habit, made the information presented in the first section of the book seem almost intuitive. Part two, The Habits of Successful Organizations, was more intriguing as it explained the nature of an organization in terms of habits, where I was used to think of it in terms of culture. To a large degree it is semantics, but viewing an organization as a collection of habits gives one hope that deliberate change is possible. Habits feel more malleable than culture, and less dependent on the unpredictable milieu of personalities present. Certainly for an organizations to shift their habits, a great deal of work and strong leadership is necessary, but it feels tangible and possible in a way “changing the culture” does not.
The final section, The Habits of Societies, felt quite timely. Charles Duhigg describes the Rosa Parks case, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. in terms of the societal factors or ‘habits’ that grew one woman’s courage into the civil rights movement.
The book concludes with an appendix demonstrating the steps required to alter a current habit. This is achieved by conserving the existing cue and reward of a habit loop, and replacing the routine. Today’s handout illustrates this process. Following the appendix is an extensive notes section detailing the research efforts that went into the creation of the book.
For more information, I invite you to watch Charles Duhigg’s presentation of The Power of Habit at TEDxTeachersCollege
The TLC Wellness Journey will continue next week with a blog post and podcast entitled An Introduction to Mindfulness. I invite you to follow my blog, subscribe to my podcast, and sign-up for my Newsletter to keep abreast of my latest work.
Take care always,
