Smart Change

Five Tools to Create New and Sustainable Habits in Yourself and Others

By: Art Markman

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

An insightful guide that shows how habits of behavior are formed, and how we can transform bad habits into positive behaviors in ourselves and others. Smart Change explores the psychological mechanisms that form and maintain habits in individuals and groups and offers real, accessible and actionable advice for changing habits. In an engaging narrative, Markman covers a wide range of habits, from individual behaviors like eating better and exercising regularly to work-related behaviors such as learning effectively and influencing customers’ purchases.

He proposes that there are five effective tools to help individuals change behavior and to help people influence the habits of the people around them:

1. Tame the “Go” system: Identify the triggers of habits, replace old behaviors with new ones and generate specific plans to deal with obstacles.

2. Harness the “Stop” system: Learn to deal with stress and other factors that hinder the development of new and positive habits.

3. Optimize your goals. Determine the course of behavior change and how to successfully incorporate those changes for the long term.

4. Manage your environment: Change your surroundings to dramatically reduce poor behavior and habits.

5. Engage your Neighbors: To affect other people’s behavior, understand the shared culture that creates a mutual dependency, and allows neighbors and colleagues to have a profound positive influence on the behavior of other members of their community.

©2014 Art Markman PhD (P)2014 Gildan Media LLC

Even Smarter Than I Thought!!!

I loved Art's other title "Smart Thinking", but was a little reluctant to go in on this book. I have several other books on this topic and the reviews I read didn't imply that there would be much in the way of new information. I was wrong!

This book does a great job using simple and concrete language as a means to highlight the the process of habit disruption and formation. Further, he wraps this process around an easily remembered framework of "why" that doesn't get lost in the minutia of experimental data.

After reading this book, I was struck with the notion that Mr. Markman also has the ability to adapt his writing style to incorporate the principles he teaches. Said another way, Mr. Markman has turned me into a Smart Thinker with a new habit of reading his books.

Exploration of Psychological Mechanisms

To me the book became monotonous as the author walked me through a series of simple steps to optimize goals. I feel it could have been written in half the number of pages he used to explain and outline of the five actionable steps for people to change their habits, minds, and bodies.

I was able to get some tips, however, for making changes using some of his practical advise.

Very useful approach!

I found the concepts in this book fresh, logical and quite empowering. In fact, I'm surprised how simple the systems that govern our behavior really are, and how effective the tools described seem to be.

The book also comes with access to an online journal for tracking progress progress templates questions to guide one through the process of change.

I'm thrilled to have found this nugget of a book. Writing is concise, clear and flows well, with great summaries along the way.

Life-changing

I’m fascinated by habits and change and have read and listened to many, many books on the subjects. This one is a gem. A doable roadmap to change without a lot of fluff.

3/5

Some good insights and written with Marksman's gift for informed, user-friendly concision, but not on par with Smart Thinking as an authoritative, comprehensive treatment of its subject matter.

Very practical book to change habits

I really liked it and I'll read it again with pauses for implementation. I've read a few books in the subject and this is the most practical one. But don't dream too much about it, as any other book about habit changes, you have to be open and willing to change. The door opens from inside.

so many pages, but few useful content

i couldn't get past the firs fewt chapters. the writer wanders about many useless redundant stuff, its like pulling teeth to actually make a point to take home.

feels like writer had so much points to make, that they had to fill in between with just redundant sentences.

The best book about changing habits.

I've read well over a dozen books on habits, mindsets, willpower and the like. This one is the best. It synthesizes (but doesn't site unfortunately) well studied research about our habits and willpower. It actually gives you distinct steps to take to make effective change in your life instead of just expecting you to figure it out - a huge failing in most other self development books.
Read it. Do it. Get the habits you actually want.

very inspiring

just finish the first listening. will come back later to pick up some favorite sections to chew on. very good material for habit changing, guess I need to act now ☺

Revealing book

Great stuff. Similar to Change Anything but the information was looked at from different angles. I liked the concept of habit for convenience to my brain and it made me appreciate the difficulty in change. Recommended.