Making Habits, Breaking Habits

Why We Do Things, Why We Don't, and How to Make Any Change Stick

By: Jeremy Dean

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Say you want to start going to the gym or practicing a musical instrument. How long should it take before you stop having to force it and start doing it automatically? The surprising answers are found in Making Habits, Breaking Habits, a leading psychologist’s popular examination of one of the most powerful and underappreciated processes in the brain. Although people like to think that they are in control, the vast majority of human behavior occurs without any decision-making or conscious thought.

Drawing on hundreds of fascinating studies, psychologist Jeremy Dean busts the myths to finally explain why seemingly easy habits, like eating an apple a day, can be surprisingly difficult to form, and how to take charge of your brain’s natural "autopilot" to make any change stick.

Witty and intriguing, Making Habits, Breaking Habits shows how behavior occurs more than just a product of what you think. It is possible to bend your habits to your will - and be happier, more creative, and more productive.

©2013 Jeremy Dean (P)2013 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"Making changes does take longer than we may expect - no 30-day, 30-pounds-lighter quick fix - but by following the guidelines laid out by Dean, listeners have a decent chance at establishing fulfilling, new patterns." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"An accessible and informative guide for listeners to take control of their lives." ( Publishers Weekly)

Engaging and Informative

Life hacks and mindfulness. I enjoyed the reading of this book, and am applying the information I gleaned on my first listen.

pragmatic, useful & research-based

If you could sum up Making Habits, Breaking Habits in three words, what would they be?

pragmaticevidence-baseduseful

What was one of the most memorable moments of Making Habits, Breaking Habits?

The debunking of the myth that "it only takes 21 days to change a habit." Depending on the habit, and according to scientific findings, it can take much longer to change habits & it was refreshing to hear this content from a popular press book. This is a resource that I now recommend to both clients & colleagues to support them in learning healthy habits & teaching others how to do so

Any additional comments?

Not sure if rating performance makes sense but the narrators voice was effective and not annoying - sometimes voices are a distraction & performance of this narrator supported learning, thus I rated performance. Same with "story": effective anecdotes & presentation of info

Interesting view in why we do what we do

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I have two gripes with this book; First, the author uses a ton of psychological theories and examples to back up his points. There isn't anything inherently wrong with this, however, by about the 3/4 mark the studies were getting boring and I fully understood that he did his research without needing to listen it. Second, although I found this book quite interesting it was quite repetitive. The idea of changing our habits is quite complex, however, it could have been summed up without needing to beat the same ideas and concepts over and over.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The guy reading the book felt a little dramatic at first and the content of this particular book does not call for it. By the end though, I really enjoyed his reading style.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

We are less in control of our habits and behaviours than we think.

Any additional comments?

This book is a fascinating look into why people do what they do. It gives great insight into our own personal habits, as well as those of other people. For anyone looking to learn more about why people make the choices they make, this book is a wonderful place to look.

Excellent, in-depth, research supported insight

What made the experience of listening to Making Habits, Breaking Habits the most enjoyable?

The objectiveness, the worldly points of view; examining all sides of the matter in a very convincing and mind-opening way.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Making Habits, Breaking Habits?

"We need the habit to raise above itself."

What insight do you think you’ll apply from Making Habits, Breaking Habits?

Hopefully the one regarding happy habits....

Any additional comments?

Excellent performance! A great listen that has left me with many inspiring and hopeful thoughts.

I cried, I laughed and I shared with my friends

First off I listen to self improvement books several times a year. But this is the first time I felt compelled to share a book with my friends and family. Sean's reading did take a few moments to adjust to, it helps to listen to him at 1.25x or better as he carefully articulates his words. Many public speakers and call center employees do the same, so the others that found the performance poor just didn't look for a solution to the pebble in the shoe. Let's be honest, those people wouldn't have benefited from Sean's book anyway, at least not yet.

I took notes extensively as each lesson was presented. I do wish that the exercises were available as a downloadable PDF as that would have been easy, but life never gives you worthwhile experiences easily. I believe that the content was laid out well and gives the listener the chance at self realization and the necessary tools to enact changes in their own lives.

Very basic information

I didn't feel like it was a waste of time and money listening to this book. But I will probably not listen to it again. Maybe if I had not read or listened to quite a few books on "Habits" this book would have been better. I felt I didn't learn anything new and a lot of the information seemed like common sense knowledge.

great book, good insights !

excellent book, highly recommend! matches completely it's name-why we do things we do! final chapter is also pose a question about do we really need things - habits we want, and how they influence us! very good book for personal introspective!

I feel motivated!

I honestly felt very motivated/empowered after reading this book, but in the same breath, I've heard most of this before.

There were very few unique concepts in this book; it seems that if you've read one, you've read them all. I didn't enjoy it any less because the concepts were a repeat for me, it's always nice to be reminded of them, and to have them fresh in your mind. It's a good book, especially if it's the first one you've read on the topic!

A light overview of the psychology of habits.

The book casts a slightly different light on a well-trod literature. However, it's useful advice is provided in a manner that is too cursory. I am not fond of the narrator, even though he is a very professional one.

Helpful insights about how to change habits

I took a lot of notes to help my weight loss coaching clients. Practical tools and approaches. He gives techniques and information from many studies which are interesting.