About The Book

A landmark book about how we form habits, and what we can do with this knowledge to make positive change

We spend a shocking 43 percent of our day doing things without thinking about them. That means that almost half of our actions aren’t conscious choices but the result of our non-conscious mind nudging our body to act along learned behaviors. How we respond to the people around us; the way we conduct ourselves in a meeting; what we buy; when and how we exercise, eat, and drink—a truly remarkable number of things we do every day, regardless of their complexity, operate outside of our awareness. We do them automatically. We do them by habit. And yet, whenever we want to change something about ourselves, we rely on willpower. We keep turning to our conscious selves, hoping that our determination and intention will be enough to effect positive change. And that is why almost all of us fail. But what if you could harness the extraordinary power of your unconscious mind, which already determines so much of what you do, to truly reach your goals?

Wendy Wood draws on three decades of original research to explain the fascinating science of how we form habits, and offers the key to unlocking our habitual mind in order to make the changes we seek. A potent mix of neuroscience, case studies, and experiments conducted in her lab, Good Habits, Bad Habits is a comprehensive, accessible, and above all deeply practical book that will change the way you think about almost every aspect of your life. By explaining how our brains are wired to respond to rewards, receive cues from our surroundings, and shut down when faced with too much friction, Wood skillfully dissects habit formation, demonstrating how we can take advantage of this knowledge to form better habits. Her clear and incisive work shows why willpower alone is woefully inadequate when we’re working toward building the life we truly want, and offers real hope for those who want to make positive change.

Reviews

If you’ve ever struggled to make or break a habit, this is the book you need to read. Wendy Wood is widely recognized as the authority on the science of habits -- Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

Wendy Wood is the world’s foremost expert in the field, and this book is essential -- Angela Duckworth, author of Grit

Enlightening and insightful . . . Wood’s research and perspective on the malleability of habits will bring hope to any reader looking to create long-term behavioural change ― Publishers Weekly

Wendy Wood . . . is the most thoughtful, innovative person who understands the role of habits in human behaviour . . . I can’t imagine a better person writing this book -- Dan Ariely

There is no one in all of psychology who could write a more compelling book on habits and behaviours -- James W. Pennebaker

No one has studied how habits form and direct behaviour better than Professor Wendy Wood . . . She has described how to change negative habits into positive versions better than anybody. She's the researcher best able to write the next big book on the topic -- Robert Cialdini, author of Influence and Pre-Suasion

Fascinating and fun, this book will change a lot of lives . . . Wood brings state-of-the-art social science into contact with the most pressing issues in daily life. She’s a tremendous guide -- Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard University, and author of How Change Happens

A fascinating tour of the science of habits, and Wendy Wood is the consummate tour guide. One of the world’s leading habit researchers Professor Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Drunk Tank Pink and Irresistible

A huge achievement. Wendy Wood manages to distil the science of habit formation, most of which emerges from her own lab, in a manner that is fascinating but also, above all, extremely useful for people looking to make positive change in their life -- David Kessler, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Overeating and Capture

Many authors have written about habits . . . but Wood is also a premier scientist in psychology, working on how habits affect and are affected by the human mind. Top tip: Willpower isn’t enough. But through her original research, Wood explains what does work ― Washington Post

About The Author

Wendy Wood was born in the UK and is Provost Professor of Psychology and Business at the University of Southern California. Her research incorporates neuroscience, cognition, and behavioral insights to understand habit persistence and change, and she has collaborated with many luminary psychologists, including Angela Duckworth and Adam Grant. Her research has been funded by the top granting agencies including NIH, NSF, Templeton Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Proctor & Gamble, and the Radcliffe Advanced Study Institute at Harvard. She has written for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Time magazine, USA Today, and NPR. She lectures widely for popular and academic audiences, and recently launched a website to convey scientific insight on habit to the general public.