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  • The Power of Habit

  • Why We Do What We Do, and How to Change
  • By: Charles Duhigg
  • Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
  • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,860 ratings)

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The Power of Habit

By: Charles Duhigg
Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

There's never been a better time to set new habits. This book will change your life.

Why do we do develop habits? And how can we change them?

We can always change. In The Power of Habit, award-winning New York Times business reporter Charles Duhigg translates cutting-edge behavioural science into practical self-improvement action, distilling advanced neuroscience into fascinating narratives of transformation.

Why can some people and companies change overnight and some stay stuck in their old ruts? The answer lies deep in the human brain, and The Power of Habits reveals the secret pressure points that can change a life. From Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps to Martin Luther King Jr., from the CEO of Starbucks to the locker rooms of the NFL, Duhigg explores the incredible results of keystone habits and how they can make all the difference between billions and millions, failure and success – or even life and death. 

The Power of Habit makes an exhilarating case: the key to almost any door in life is instilling the right habit. From exercise to weight loss, child-rearing to productivity, market disruption to social revolution and above all success, the right habits can change everything. 

Habits aren't destiny. They’re science, one which can transform our businesses, our communities and our lives.

©2012 Charles Duhigg (P)2012 Random House Audiobooks

Critic Reviews

"It’s a fascinating insight into making and breaking habits and offers practical advice, funny stories and critical thinking." (Press Association)

"Plenty of business books that try to tap into the scientific world manage to distil complicated research into readable prose. But few take the next step and become essential manuals for business and living. The Power of Habit is an exception." (Andrew Hill, Financial Times)

"Full of great ideas" (Evening Standard)

What listeners say about The Power of Habit

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

A collection of research stories

I listened to this expectantly looking forward to how the principals could be applied, excited by the stories of success. Finally, a brief appendix at the end of the book outlined how to apply them. It's a good book if you enjoy hearing about research stories and scientific evidence for the principal of habit forming, but the stories are long winded and way too detailed. More like a story book than anything else, don't buy if you want principals and techniques for results. There are actual techniques that could have been included, such as starting tiny habits and make your trigger something simple. I returned the book as it was not what I was looking for. Maybe I had the wrong ideas about the book before reading it, but don't buy if you want practical and helpful suggestions for taking action. Great however if you want the evidence on habit formation and how it contributes to success.

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61 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Book!!!

What made the experience of listening to The Power of Habit the most enjoyable?

The stories in the book are quite real and intriguing that you want to know more. Very well written. It has been a long time that I haven't read such a good book as this one.

What does Mike Chamberlain bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Very well narrated. Excellent voice that doesn't make you fall asleep.

Any additional comments?

100% recommended if you want to know how our brain works on terms of habits and how we can change them when we realized are not good for our living.

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14 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Simply brilliant

I loved this book. It gave real life examples and help me understand myself. I then went onto buy Gretchen Rubin's book "Better than before, mastering the habits of our everyday lives" and I'm hooked. It gives you clarity and control on habits that before I thought were just random.

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • M
  • 23-05-2017

Second listening, learned even more

Second listening, learned even more this time around. Best line for me is that when you realise you have a habit, it's your freedom and responsibility to change that habit. Some of the corporate and gambling stuff felt like filler, but the Gold is in there as well.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome Story-filled motivating.

This book is so worthwhile I went and bought a hard copy. The book is filled with anecdotes that support and bolster the important learning material in the text.
The audio is easy to listen to.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Maybe a dry read at the start but press on

I did struggle to start it but as I got further on it became much more compelling. it asks some great questions as well as help you consider your day-to-day shortcomings. It's more about understanding habits rather than giving you a step by step plan (although it does give you one in the index) and the knowledge of understanding how a thing works rather than a guide will prove to be far more important.
Great book, glad I stuck it out.

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5 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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1% practical use, 99% stories.

I would say you should find a book comprehensive summary and read it in 15-30 minutes (There are a lot)

The idea is so short, 99% of the book are stories of people using Habit loop in different ways, which might be good for pleasure reading, but not really good if you read with a sole purpose of self-improvement.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Revolutionised my thinking

Loved it passionately, took forever to finish but worth the time - it helped me see a lot about my life that I hadn't been able to understand or change before. Thank you for this book!

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2 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Good info but so boring

This book has some great pieces of info but let's itself down with boring stories about management safety e.c.t. I wish the same info was conveyed in a more entertaining way. 2-3hours is great but 6 how's will make you Zzzzzzz....overall the authors style is not for me but maybe right for you.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Just OK

Very good. I just think sometimes the author confuses habit with culture or simple conditional behaviors.

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1 person found this helpful

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