Good Habits, Bad HabitsGood Habits, Bad Habits

"We spend a shocking 43 percent of our day doing things without thinking about them. This means that almost half of our actions aren't conscious choices but the result of our non-conscious minds nudging our bodies to enact learned behaviors. How we respond to the people around us; the way we conduct ourselves in meetings; what we buy; when and how we exercise, eat, and drink -- a truly remarkable number of the things we do every day, regardless of their complexity, operate beyond our awareness. We do them out of 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. Wendy Wood draws on three decades of original research to explain the fascinating science of how we form habits, offering the key to unlocking our habitual minds in order to reach our goals. 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 improve our lives."--