Better Than Before

Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives

By: Gretchen Rubin

Narrated by: Gretchen Rubin

New York Times Bestseller
Washington Post Bestseller

The author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, tackles the critical question: How do we change?

Gretchen Rubin's answer: through habits. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives.

So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: How do we change our habits?

Better than Before answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin’s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better than Before explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation.

Along the way, Rubin uses herself as guinea pig, tests her theories on family and friends, and answers readers’ most pressing questions—oddly, questions that other writers and researchers tend to ignore:

• Why do I find it tough to create a habit for something I love to do?
• Sometimes I can change a habit overnight, and sometimes I can’t change a habit, no matter how hard I try. Why?
• How quickly can I change a habit?
• What can I do to make sure I stick to a new habit?
• How can I help someone else change a habit?
• Why can I keep habits that benefit others, but can’t make habits that are just for me?

Whether readers want to get more sleep, stop checking their devices, maintain a healthy weight, or finish an important project, habits make change possible. Reading just a few chapters of Better Than Before will make readers eager to start work on their own habits—even before they’ve finished the book.

Bonus Feature: Includes a full episode from the author's podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin in which she discusses how to build happier habits into everyday life.

Best Self-Help book I've ever read

Of all the self-help books I've ever read this one is the most transformative probably, it's up there with the Myers-Briggs books and others for sure.

It's not just a series of suggestions or incentive to help you have the life you want. It is a psychological and social logical breakdown of why people do what they do and what motivates them. I found it extremely helpful. Not only an understanding myself but an understanding other people and how to help motivate them also.

Enjoyable as Always

As an Upholder myself, Gretchen Rubin's perspective always proves to be insightful and instructive! I enjoy the way each Strategy is explained with personal anecdotes, however I do wish that fewer of said anecdotes revolved around food/eating.

Great book to satisfy my listening habit!

A subject that includes everyone and can be a self help topic if used correctly. It can be a positive for the habitually negative;-)

Great information, not my favorite delivery

I loved all the practical advice and took so much away from the book but her style and cadence we're not for me. To each her own!

Great for self improvement

Love Gretchin and her work, she gives great advice. The whole concept of the four tendencies is brillo, it's given me so much insight into myself and my friends and family.