Ефект ритуалів. Від звички до ритуалу: використовуйте дивовижну силу повсякденних дій

by Michael Norton, Олена Савінова (Translator)

Приготування сніданку, ранкові прогулянки, дзвінки рідним, читання перед сном - життя кожного з нас складається із невеликих повсякденних ритуалів. Але чи можна отримувати від щоденно повторюваних дрібничок якусь користь?

Автор книжки разом із кращими психологами, економістами, нейробіологами та антропологами упродовж десяти років досліджував, яким чином індивідуальні й колективні ритуали допомагають нам долати життєві виклики, зберігати стійкість та реалізовувати власні можливості. Результатом досліджень стало це видання. З його сторінок ви дізнаєтеся:
- як виникають ритуали;
- у чому відмінність між ритуалом та звичкою;
- як зробити так, щоб ритуали працювали на нас, а не завдавали шкоди;
- як створювати власні ритуали;
- як завдяки ритуалам поліпшити особисте та професійне життя.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Psychology, Science, Audiobook, Mental Health, Sociology

240 pages, Unknown Binding

First published April 9, 2024

About the author

Michael Norton is an associate professor of marketing at Harvard Business School. His research has twice been featured in the New York Times Magazine Year in Ideas issue. In 2012, he was selected for Wired magazine’s Smart List as one of “50 People Who Will Change the World.”

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, @dartfroggco, for the gifted book. I also purchased the audio from @librofm for a read/listen experience.

About the book: “In the bestselling tradition of Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit and Angela Duckworth’s Grit, a renowned social psychologist demonstrates the power of small acts—and how a subtle turning of habits into rituals can add purpose and pleasure to life.”

The audio is narrated by the author, and I enjoyed his narration. I’m especially drawn to positive psychological constructs, and the formation of rituals and how they are conveyed within this book definitely fits. It’s basically adding mindfulness (meaning and purpose) to daily habits. If you listen for them, there are some key small changes that could, if implemented, could add up to bigger transformations, and for those aspects I was most grateful.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[K.J. Charles]

Reasonably interesting overview of ritual--how it differs from routine, why we need it, how to develop good ones. Useful to think about but not quite the deep dive I was hoping for.

[Bejinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was initially drawn to the book by its intriguing theme and the numerous glowing endorsements it received. However, despite a promising start, the content eventually shifts towards generic advice on using rituals for workplace success, a common theme in contemporary non-fiction.

The book does include a range of engaging anecdotes, from B.F. Skinner’s experiments to the famous marshmallow test, yet it falls short of providing actionable insights or introducing novel concepts. Ultimately, I was left seeking more practical guidance and substantive takeaways.

[Beaux ♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reminded me of Atomic Habbits but showed how religion can be so bad when mixed with ritual and makes people feel like they need to force their beliefs on others. Totally nailed how religion has been working the past thousand of years. This is a 4 out of 10 for me, just below the average book. Was a fast quick read so it's not too bad if you have spare time in your reading.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this, but didn't find it revolutionary. My favorite pieces were on rituals surrounding romantic relationships and those surrounding grief. Though I liked hearing about all of this supported by academic fact, I couldn't really shake the feeling that it seemed like common sense for any well-adjusted emotionally mature individual.

One thing I did think was cool: the trick to tell what's a "ritual" for you and what is a "routine." I.e., imagine doing your morning "routine" backwards. If that bothers you without knowing why, it's an important ritual! If it doesn't affect you, it's a routine.

[Bridgette · Rating 5 out of 5]

*well-written and informative
*easy to read and educational
*defines how rituals play a healthy role in human behavior
*highly recommend

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway, all opinions are my own.

This was one of the most thought provoking books I've read this year. Each chapter had a different topic or part of life in which we use rituals in ways you might not have thought of. Before reading this book, I didn't think I had any rituals in my everyday life. After reading this book, every mundane process or task has become more of a ritual. I have begun to realize the things I do every day in very specific steps and how they make me feel. This has made me more intentional in the things that I do or don't do. Overall, this book was great at prompting more thought about things that may have been automatic or dreaded and made them more meaningful.

[Bryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I just read or why. This felt more like a drive-by of traditions, habits, superstitions in a variety of settings - am I splitting hairs here by not allowing them as rituals or failing to see the distinctions he's trying to draw? At best, it was a laundry list of "rituals," but there certainly didn't feel like any there was any takeaway from which I could "harness the surprising power of everyday actions." Like, really, your lucky socks are only lucky until they aren't anymore.

[laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 ⭐️ - this book was the epitome of everything you would find in your typical pop science book - snappy chapter titles, various anecdotes, and a couple scientific studies. but after the first chapter or two, i don't know that i found it very compelling? it felt like the same chapter over and over again, with slightly different anecdotes. tldr? rituals are good, rituals are distinct from habits because the order you do things matter.

[Michael Alligood · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 2 1/2 stars.

This book is “idiosyncratic.” (If you know, you know.) I really wanted to enjoy it more than I did. However, I found myself wishing for it to be over sooner than later.

A synopsis: Ritual is about perspective, attitude, and consistency. There… you’ve read the book without digesting every single observational study listed in the pages.

PS, put together your own IKEA furniture; you’ll value it more.

[Humanistyczny Bełkot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Już po kilku stronach trafiły do mnie twierdzenia z tej książki. Myślałam, że rytuały i nawyki to to samo, ale po tej lekturze łatwiej mi to rozróżnić. Nawyk bowiem skupia się na tym, CO musisz zrobić, rytuał za to skupia się na procesie i na tym JAK coś robisz. Sądzicie, że to jeszcze trudniejsze niż wyrobienie nawyku? Ale przecież rytuały są z nami od zawsze! Nawet podawanie komuś ręki na powitanie jest rytuałem!
Dowiecie się z tej książki, jak istotne jest skupienie się na "JAK". Człowiek bardziej docenia efekt, jeśli sam jest zaangażowany w proces, dlatego tworzenie rytuału może być najlepszym sposobem, by się zmotywować. A także by w siebie uwierzyć. W książce poznacie rytuały znanych osób. Rytuały te pomagały im w wydobyciu swojej kreatywności i pokładów pewności siebie wymaganych przed np. jakimś wystąpieniem ("Jak występować?" to chyba mój ulubiony rozdział w tej książce).
Poznacie różne ciekawostki dotyczące tego, jak rytuały tworzą społeczeństwo i tradycje kulturowe i religijne. A także dowiecie się, że nie każde podejście do rytuałów jest dobre. Miałam nadzieję, że autor wspomni o OCD... i to zrobił!
Książka skupia się głównie na rytuałach, ale czasami odchodzi od tego tematu, żeby rozwinąć inne wątki. Trochę mnie to denerwowało, bo przecież chciałam czytać o rytuałach i tyle, ale jednocześnie ciekawiło, bo pewnie nigdy nie dowiedziałabym się niektórych rzeczy, gdybym "niechcący" nie poznała ich tu. Mogłam więc dowiedzieć się np. o komunikacji w pracy (oczywiście rytuały też były wspomniane, ale w moim odczuciu były tak trochę wciśnięte na siłę, bo autor bardziej chciał pogadać o samej pracy niż rytuałach... trochę dawało to vibe takiej osoby, która mówiąc o jednej rzeczy, wrzuca jeszcze w wypowiedź milion innych anegdot, przez co już sama nie wie, o czym mówiłam na początku XD ale tak, jak wspomniałam wcześniej, nie przeszkadzało mi to).
Może to będzie unpopular opinion, ale ta książka podobała mi się bardziej niż "Atomowe nawyki". I pierwszy raz mam wrażenie, że dam radę zmienić niektóre przyzwyczajenia. Bo nie będę już skupiać się na nawykach. Będę się skupiać na rytuałach 😎
[Współpraca]
Ocena: 4/5 ⭐

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of interesting tidbits! The author discusses the difference between habits (what we do) and rituals (how we do them). There are 4 main sections: ourselves, our relationships, work and religion. I found the section about the rituals of professional athletes fascinating. Why does Serena Williams bounce the ball 5 times before every first serve and two times before every second serve?

[Patty (IheartYA311) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I expected something more along the lines of teaching healthy, sustainable rituals, but still a good book.

[Rebecca Ditchek-Scarola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another free ARC from @scribnerbooks in exchange for a free review. I LOVED this book. Reminded me a lot of “Atomic Habits” in the best of ways. I would love to relisten to this book as an audiobook. I am sure it would be incredible. This novel really forces its readers to acknowledge and take joy in all our little rituals. A positive and excellent book.

[Dave G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I try to read a book like this so I can transfer, at least in part, something into my everyday life whether personal or professional. I thought this book could help me on both levels. It did not.

It is heavy on anecdotal stories that try to illustrate a point. Some of them were very interesting and others not so much. Anecdotes are fine to help the reader grasp a concept or meaning of a story but an entire book of them leaves the reader wondering where the book is going. In my opinion, in circles. I was hoping for something more substantive that would direct me on how to improve my work and home life but it was not there.

The book is “fine” but little else. Don’t expect it to significantly change anything because it won’t (I know, the reader is the only one who can make those changes but everyone would like some help every now and then). More of a read when nothing else is around. Thankfully it is a rather short book and an easy read. If I was feeling more generous I would give it three stars but in the end there was nothing else to put it over the top for another star.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look into the power of ritual to shape our days. Not just formal rituals (like holidays and religious ceremonies) but also the small rituals we create spontaneously to help us navigate the world (a meditative walk every morning, a particular bedtime routine for our children).

The author explains the difference between habit/routine and ritual - one is merely functional, while the other helps us find meaning.

Three stars because I didn’t always see how the research he described supported the conclusions he drew. Is ritual the cause of a happy marriage, or do happy marriages tend to form rituals - as just one example.

Also, I wish there had been a chapter on “rituals gone rogue” or something like that - discussing the role of rituals in mental health conditions like OCD or autism.

Still, an interesting read.

[Aleksandra Gratka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Schematy - ograniczają czy porządkują nam życie? Jesteśmy ich więźniami, czy dzięki nim mamy grunt pod nogami?

Michael Norton, psycholog społeczny, dowodzi, że w schemacie, nawyku czy swoistym rytuale metoda na spokojne życie. Swój wywód rozpoczyna od rytuałów pisarzy (Agatha Christie zjadająca jabłko podczas wieczornej kąpieli), by pokazać, że zaklinanie rzeczywistości czy wiara w moc drobiazgów nie jest niczym złym. Te drobiazgi pozwalają bowiem człowiekowi na radzenie sobie z nerwami codzienności, ale też w wyjątkowych sytuacjach, na przykład w zmaganiach z żałobą.
Rytuały w związkach sprawiają, że czujemy się bardziej usatysfakcjonowani, konkretne wskazówki pozwalają przetrwać spotkanie z rodziną, z którą najlepiej na zdjęciach. A rytuał przejścia? Podoba mi się użyty tu japoński zwrot wabi-sabi, czyli takie nastawienie do życia, by z jednej strony pogodzić się z tym, że wszystko z czasem przemija i niszczeje, ale z drugiej - wiedzieć, że na zgliszczach może wyrosnąć coś pięknego.

Autor przedstawia swoją filozofię przystępnie, powołuje się na autorytety i badania, pisze o występowaniu przed publicznością, o delektowaniu się życiem, o rytuałach w pracy i poza nią. To proste refleksje, które uświadamiają, że każdy potrzebuje kotwicy czy jakiegoś koła ratunkowego, pal licho, czym ono jest, ważne że działa.

Niby nie wierzę w rytuały, ale przecież mam osobne kubki do kawy porannej i popołudniowej, nie zacznę czytać książki zanim nie zaznaczę jej środka, a nieskreślony wieczorem dzień w kalendarzu burzy mój spokój.
To co, Norton ma rację? Rytuały są ważne? Coś w nich na pewno jest...

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never thought I had any personal rituals,I probably just referred to them as routines. Other than my morning coffee, I think I can switch some of steps around comfortably. There was a question asking if we brush our teeth before the shower or after the shower. Well, I’ve done both and I’ve brushed my teeth while in the shower, so I think I am pretty adaptable. I wasn’t sure there would even be enough on the topic to have a book about the subject, though I see if there’s a study on it, there would be enough for a book. I do comprehend that rituals are not just empty gestures they’re meaningful actions and can have impacts on our mental, social and emotional well-being. I just never gave it much thought;I just live life. I can agree with his finding, but it doesn’t weigh heavy on me one way or the other.

[Chris Boutté · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a lot better than I expected. I think something’s wrong with me when it comes to this topic because I always expect to not like the book, but I always find themes super interesting. Norton does an excellent job discussing why we do various rituals, how they help us individually, and how they bring us together. It’s super interesting, and I definitely recommend it.

[Analie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this concept quite a bit. What I found most helpful was the idea that developing rituals in our lives can turn the mundane into the meaningful, deepening our relationships and experience of life. I would have loved it if the author delved into the "how" more and included ideas of rituals to practice.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.75 ⭐️ rounded up) Loved the short chapters and the chapter on mourning rituals. Wasn’t as fascinated by many of the other chapters. Easy to read…🤷‍♂️ 📚

[Kelsey Simms]

it was an okay listen, but I wasn’t over-the-moon about it

[Mary Sbonek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read!

[Lisa]

I liked the idea/theme but the book was not for me. At all.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at why rituals are meaningful and included some fun examples of personal and communal rituals. I found it much less practically helpful than The Power of Ritual though, since it didn't give much advice for developing or identifying rituals that you find meaningful. I also found the conclusions about why ritual matters fairly obvious after having read The Power of Ritual. Mostly, I think this just wasn't what I was looking for. It mainly summarizes research on the impact of rituals, rather than suggesting ways to incorporate them into your own life.

[Kalyan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what I heard; it talked about how rituals are formed, gave statistics and examples, and included a very brief mention of why and how to implement them. It’s as expected. Read it if you don't have anything else to read. I picked it up because I didn't have anything else to listen to.

[Natalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mildly interesting. Felt like a high school essay.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF
I listened to the author on a podcast and felt like I got enough on the topic that I didn’t feel the book was adding anything else.

[tisasday · Rating 2 out of 5]

A hodgepodge.

[Jean Bowen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A secular look at rituals- the "how" of what we do. It was interesting enough to finish but not that compelling. Finished it with a, "meh."