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A review by dijeye
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick by Wendy Wood
4.0
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick is not one of those self-help books where you're going to have bullet points to happiness, success and wealth. No cheerleading from the author on how great you are (or could be) if you only performed the bullet points in order, every single day, for the rest of your life. No "10 steps to breaking a bad habit" or the "5 steps to build a great habit" crap. I don't like stuff like that.
And furthermore, I'm not a scientist who bases her opinion of this work on whether the (many) studies she describes were performed, documented and reviewed correctly.
Rather, I am someone who prefers to read scientifically-based "self help" books rather than those from bloggers who had a good thing going online and decided to write a book. Those benefit some people, I'm sure - but it's not my cup of tea. I'd much prefer a book outlining and explaining peer-reviewed studies instead of listening to the 3-minute summary on the evening news (where they almost always get it wrong). This book was right up my alley.
I honestly have some great takeaways after finishing this book that I am already applying to my life. Most often, when I read books like this, I end up frustrated & annoyed - primarily with myself - for not being able to "do it." To "do" everything the author tells me will "fix my life" and make me happy, peaceful, content, wealthy, blah blah blah. I feel like most often, books of this genre are more harmful than helpful in the long run because pretty much no one can "do it all" and we end up losing another tiny piece of self-confidence when we fail. I'm done with those books...
This research spoke to me as someone trying to give up bad habits that have plagued me for decades. Habits that have significantly influenced my life in negative ways. Habits I want to end. We all know that repetition is a key ingredient in habits, but now I know about friction and the role it plays in new/old habits. I understand how context plays into it all. It isn't about "being perfect" or doing something correctly, or being more motivated than you used to be, it's about understanding how much of our lives (hint: A LOT) is done out of habit rather than conscious choice and adjusting the context & friction.
It's not quite that simplistic, but it's a start.
This book took me a long time to finish, not because I didn't find the subject matter highly interesting (I do) - but rather, I found some of the writing repetitive and dry. I work in data science, so I appreciate a data-driven approach and I understand the need for case studies to back up the science - but more than once I was reading something that I knew I had read before. As in word-for-word read before. At times, I got bored with reading case study after case study and had to set it aside. Thus why I'm going with 4 instead of 5 stars.
And furthermore, I'm not a scientist who bases her opinion of this work on whether the (many) studies she describes were performed, documented and reviewed correctly.
Rather, I am someone who prefers to read scientifically-based "self help" books rather than those from bloggers who had a good thing going online and decided to write a book. Those benefit some people, I'm sure - but it's not my cup of tea. I'd much prefer a book outlining and explaining peer-reviewed studies instead of listening to the 3-minute summary on the evening news (where they almost always get it wrong). This book was right up my alley.
I honestly have some great takeaways after finishing this book that I am already applying to my life. Most often, when I read books like this, I end up frustrated & annoyed - primarily with myself - for not being able to "do it." To "do" everything the author tells me will "fix my life" and make me happy, peaceful, content, wealthy, blah blah blah. I feel like most often, books of this genre are more harmful than helpful in the long run because pretty much no one can "do it all" and we end up losing another tiny piece of self-confidence when we fail. I'm done with those books...
This research spoke to me as someone trying to give up bad habits that have plagued me for decades. Habits that have significantly influenced my life in negative ways. Habits I want to end. We all know that repetition is a key ingredient in habits, but now I know about friction and the role it plays in new/old habits. I understand how context plays into it all. It isn't about "being perfect" or doing something correctly, or being more motivated than you used to be, it's about understanding how much of our lives (hint: A LOT) is done out of habit rather than conscious choice and adjusting the context & friction.
It's not quite that simplistic, but it's a start.
This book took me a long time to finish, not because I didn't find the subject matter highly interesting (I do) - but rather, I found some of the writing repetitive and dry. I work in data science, so I appreciate a data-driven approach and I understand the need for case studies to back up the science - but more than once I was reading something that I knew I had read before. As in word-for-word read before. At times, I got bored with reading case study after case study and had to set it aside. Thus why I'm going with 4 instead of 5 stars.