How to Change

The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

By: Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth - foreword

Narrated by: Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth

Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

Wall Street Journal Best Seller

"A welcome revelation." (The Financial Times)

Award-winning Wharton Professor and Choiceology podcast host Katy Milkman has devoted her career to the study of behavior change. In this ground-breaking book, Milkman reveals a proven path that can take you from where you are to where you want to be, with a foreword from psychologist Angela Duckworth, the best-selling author of Grit.

Change comes most readily when you understand what's standing between you and success and tailor your solution to that roadblock. If you want to work out more but find exercise difficult and boring, downloading a goal-setting app probably won't help. But what if, instead, you transformed your workouts so they became a source of pleasure instead of a chore? Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is the key to success.

Drawing on Milkman's original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, How to Change shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. Through case studies and engaging stories, you’ll learn:

• Why timing can be everything when it comes to making a change
• How to turn temptation and inertia into assets 
• That giving advice, even if it's about something you're struggling with, can help you achieve more

Whether you're a manager, coach, or teacher aiming to help others change for the better or are struggling to kick-start change yourself, How to Change offers an invaluable, science-based blueprint for achieving your goals, once and for all.

©2021 Katy Milkman (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“Packed with research-backed paths to personal growth.” (NPR’s Life Kit) 

“[Filled with] practical tips that can help you reduce stress, improve your mental health and live a better life.” (CNN)

"Simple yet profound insights.” (Behavioral Scientist)

Finally, actionable steps

I think I’m the only person in America who read “Atomic Habits” and wasn’t a fanatic. We all know we should do that stuff, and if we could make ourselves do it we’d be golden.
This book offers specific, reasonable actions to support any desire to start.
Awesome alone, but would also be good to read prior to books like “Atomic Habits” or “Spark”.
The author is pleasant to listen to and sounds great even at 2x.

Distracting narration

Because narration is as much a determinant as the subject matter in my decision to spend a credit , I always listen to the sample first, but this sample contained only the foreword, capably read by Angela Duckworth, and none of Katy Milkman’s narration. Of all her accomplishments Katy may be a wonderful author and inspiring professor, but the grating vocal fry in her narration was so distracting I couldn’t get past the first 10 minutes. I’ll read this one instead.

Spectacularly good!!

I teach collegiate and PhD-level courses on behavior change. Even with that background, this book was a revelation. It efficiently synthesizes the most essential-science-backed insights. And the book is a delight!

Must read if you want to learn to change

As someone who got sober in 2012 after multiple relapses, I know first-hand how difficult it is to change. After getting sober and working at a treatment center, I realized that most people deal with the same issues when it comes to figuring out how to change even if they’re problem isn’t substance abuse. For months, I’ve been waiting for this new book from Katy Milkman, and it was fantastic. I read a ton of books about the science and psychology behind change and forming new habits, and it’s difficult to find ones that are good for a broader audience. Some have too much in-depth science that doesn’t appeal to the average reader, and other books have a ton of pseudoscience and are more in the self-help genre. Katy Milkman did an amazing job using evidence-based research while also writing in a way so any reader can benefit from it.

In the book, Milkman focuses on specific challenges we all face and breaks them down into concise chapters. She covers how to get started with change and break out of inertia as well as strategies for dealing with procrastination, forgetfulness, lack of confidence, and more. One thing I love about the research Katy uses in this book is that she helps the reader become self-aware of innate tendencies we all have, but she shows you how you can use these tendencies to your benefit. Whether you want to become a better parent, improve your work ethic, get in shape, or just change for the better, you should really check this book out.

Katy's podcast is awesome - this book is just ok

not all that much new here - not that much actionable info, other than the well-known

i love love love Katy's podcast, but this book was a letdown

Just as great as one of her classes

I had the pleasure of being in Katy's class at Wharton and this book is a great summary of all the behavioral science concepts she teaches her students in her MBA course. She manages to distill complex behavioral science concepts into digestible insights with clear suggestions on how to implement them into your daily life. Definitely recommend.

Disappointing

I got about two hours into this book and really couldn't take anymore. Katy is not a writer, and her voice is screechy and irritating as she narrates .
Mostly anecdotal stories of studies she, or her colleagues did in her grad school days that are strung together as an aggregate of disjointed (and boring), social science experiments. The point of each is never stated or reached (regarding the book's title)

Evidence based and easy under stable book on how to change

I have been working with and studying organizational and personal change for many years. This book offers a great variety of insights and ideas on what works when you want to change behaviors and make them stick.

Furthermore, I am a huge fan of professor Katy Milkman’s approach to sharing science with the ‘normal’ people like me. By using storytelling to strengthen and underpinning her points she captures my attention and makes it easy for me to relate. She is also a wonderful speaker and you almost forget that it is science and research you are listening too.

I can highly recommend it to anyone who want to chafe a behavior or two 😊

Science based approach on how to change

I am a big fan of behavioral economics, books on habit change and the like. This book was right up my alley and didn't disappoint. A ton of practical tips and (at least for geeks like me) a fun listen

Inspired to change after reading this “How to Change”

A great book to learn tips and insights on how to break the barriers to change with some of the innovative and proven approaches to overcome our pet and professional challenges. Highly recommended!