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Stick with It: A Scientifically Proven Process for Changing Your Life-for Good
#1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller
An award-winning psychologist and director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior shows everyone how to make real, lasting change in their lives in this exciting work of popular psychology that goes beyond The Power of Habit with science and practical strategies that can alter their problem behaviors—forever.
Whether it’s absent-minded mistakes at work, a weakness for junk food, a smart phone addiction, or a lack of exercise, everyone has some bad habit or behavior that they’d like to change. But wanting to change and actually doing it—and sticking with it—are two very different things.
Dr. Sean Young, an authoritative new voice in the field of behavioral science, knows a great deal about our habits—how we make them and how we can break them. Stick with It is his fascinating look at the science of behavior, filled with crucial knowledge and practical advice to help everyone successfully alter their actions and improve their lives.
As Dr. Young explains, you don’t change behavior by changing the person, you do it by changing the process. Drawing on his own scientific research and that of other leading experts in the field, he explains why change can be difficult and identifies the crucial forces that combine to make transformation permanent, from the right way to create new habits to how to harness emotional meaning to motivate change. He also helps us understand how the mind often interferes with creating lasting change and how we can outsmart it, including using "neurohacks" to shortcut the brain’s counterproductive instincts. In addition he provides a powerful corrective to the decades old science of habits, offering a next generation discussion of how habits can change behavior with the right approach.
Packed with pragmatic exercises and stories of real people who have used them successfully, Stick with It shows that it is possible to control spending, stick to a diet, become more social, exercise regularly, stop compulsively checking e-mail, and overcome problem behaviors—forever.
An award-winning psychologist and director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior shows everyone how to make real, lasting change in their lives in this exciting work of popular psychology that goes beyond The Power of Habit with science and practical strategies that can alter their problem behaviors—forever.
Whether it’s absent-minded mistakes at work, a weakness for junk food, a smart phone addiction, or a lack of exercise, everyone has some bad habit or behavior that they’d like to change. But wanting to change and actually doing it—and sticking with it—are two very different things.
Dr. Sean Young, an authoritative new voice in the field of behavioral science, knows a great deal about our habits—how we make them and how we can break them. Stick with It is his fascinating look at the science of behavior, filled with crucial knowledge and practical advice to help everyone successfully alter their actions and improve their lives.
As Dr. Young explains, you don’t change behavior by changing the person, you do it by changing the process. Drawing on his own scientific research and that of other leading experts in the field, he explains why change can be difficult and identifies the crucial forces that combine to make transformation permanent, from the right way to create new habits to how to harness emotional meaning to motivate change. He also helps us understand how the mind often interferes with creating lasting change and how we can outsmart it, including using "neurohacks" to shortcut the brain’s counterproductive instincts. In addition he provides a powerful corrective to the decades old science of habits, offering a next generation discussion of how habits can change behavior with the right approach.
Packed with pragmatic exercises and stories of real people who have used them successfully, Stick with It shows that it is possible to control spending, stick to a diet, become more social, exercise regularly, stop compulsively checking e-mail, and overcome problem behaviors—forever.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2017
763 people are currently reading
2790 people want to read
About the author
Sean Young
20 books11 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
April 10, 2018
This is the most helpful book I have ever read in my life, as a procrastinator, this book is a gem for me, almost all methods explained in this book are helpful, especially the stepladder (right first step and anchoring);, Easy (controlling environment, limit choices); Engrained; and Neurohacks. (I can't speak for Community and Captivating methods because I'm an introvert and self-employed, but I will also try it later)
1. Stepladder (right first step and anchoring)
I thought this is close to mindfulness, but it really works to make you stick with whatever you're doing; quoted from the book:
".. “Forget about the mountain, he said. “Forget about the ladders, and stop thinking about getting to the top,” he said. “Don’t try and plan ahead. Just focus on the next step of the ladder.”
The lesson is to focus on finding the right first step. Put all of your energy into achieving that first little step. Take the time to reflect on your progress. And then repeat..."
2. Easy (controlling environment, limit choices)
I practiced the easy method by maintaining my healthy foods, sleep, and exercises; So, in the middle of working/studying I won't have any reason to procrastinate (usual reasons: hungry, sleepy, etc)
Also, I often disable my internet connection during studies, I control the condition: turning the internet on will require some efforts, thus I'm not wasting my time surfing the internet during book studies.
quoted from the book:
“if you’re having trouble sticking with something, remove whatever is stopping you from doing it. It’s that easy.”
3. Engrained and Neurohacks
I don't know how I mixed these two methods, but personally I think those are really connected.
I never imagine this method will work for me, but it works, for example, now I have my routines in sequence, and those are good habits;
A Cue -> Magnetic behaviour
A Routine -> Neurohack, Chain links
A Reward -> Fascinating (Captivating, Important)
quoted from book: "... I call this creating a “chain link” because the more days in a row a person does something, the stronger the chain link becomes."
And many more on this books;
Really, if you are a procrastinator or you have a habit of starting project(s), but not finishing them?
Don't hesitate to buy this rare book, chances that you'll have the benefit of most of the methods are high, and also I recommend the book by Joanna Jast: Not Another Motivation Book: A Pragmatist's Guide to Nailing Your Motivation, Keeping It, and Effortlessly Achieving Your Goals, both books are helping me tremendously.
PS: What works for one person may not works for others; but seriously, give this book a chance.
1. Stepladder (right first step and anchoring)
I thought this is close to mindfulness, but it really works to make you stick with whatever you're doing; quoted from the book:
".. “Forget about the mountain, he said. “Forget about the ladders, and stop thinking about getting to the top,” he said. “Don’t try and plan ahead. Just focus on the next step of the ladder.”
The lesson is to focus on finding the right first step. Put all of your energy into achieving that first little step. Take the time to reflect on your progress. And then repeat..."
2. Easy (controlling environment, limit choices)
I practiced the easy method by maintaining my healthy foods, sleep, and exercises; So, in the middle of working/studying I won't have any reason to procrastinate (usual reasons: hungry, sleepy, etc)
Also, I often disable my internet connection during studies, I control the condition: turning the internet on will require some efforts, thus I'm not wasting my time surfing the internet during book studies.
quoted from the book:
“if you’re having trouble sticking with something, remove whatever is stopping you from doing it. It’s that easy.”
3. Engrained and Neurohacks
I don't know how I mixed these two methods, but personally I think those are really connected.
I never imagine this method will work for me, but it works, for example, now I have my routines in sequence, and those are good habits;
A Cue -> Magnetic behaviour
A Routine -> Neurohack, Chain links
A Reward -> Fascinating (Captivating, Important)
quoted from book: "... I call this creating a “chain link” because the more days in a row a person does something, the stronger the chain link becomes."
And many more on this books;
Really, if you are a procrastinator or you have a habit of starting project(s), but not finishing them?
Don't hesitate to buy this rare book, chances that you'll have the benefit of most of the methods are high, and also I recommend the book by Joanna Jast: Not Another Motivation Book: A Pragmatist's Guide to Nailing Your Motivation, Keeping It, and Effortlessly Achieving Your Goals, both books are helping me tremendously.
PS: What works for one person may not works for others; but seriously, give this book a chance.
September 2, 2017
Some good stuff here but ironically enough, I struggled to "stick with it" and finish the book. It seemed like much the book could have been written more concisely. I liked examples that support the ideas presented but felt like there were too many. It also seemed like there was too much repetition throughout.
February 18, 2018
Super-helpful, interesting, & very readable! The info on different ways to make changes and break habits was helpful & interesting on its own, but what is best about this book is the way Young sorts out types 0f behaviors we want to change - identifying them as automatic, burning, or conscious - & then gives recommendations for the best ways to change them. I can see how times I've failed to change habits are often because I was trying to do so using the methods that are least effect for that type of change. The reverse is also true - I can see how some of my good habits became habits by doing some of the types of things he recommends to make those kinds of changes.
Really appreciated the data and studies behind this too, & all the helpful examples. This book has much more than some of the other habit-change type books I've read. I've usually been able to get some helpful tips from those, but they haven't been so practical or felt so widely applicable. Hopefully what I learned here will help me keep making healthy changes going forward!
Really appreciated the data and studies behind this too, & all the helpful examples. This book has much more than some of the other habit-change type books I've read. I've usually been able to get some helpful tips from those, but they haven't been so practical or felt so widely applicable. Hopefully what I learned here will help me keep making healthy changes going forward!
April 29, 2018
There are examples in this book just stuck in my mind. The first one is how a password can change one's life. It works like a mantra. The constant reminder and repetition of powerful words can change people's negativity and bad habits. That reminds me of the power of repetition. The second example is about how the author's grandmothers responded to tragic events happened in their lives when their loved ones passed away. Negativity can harm people and destroy one's life in a very subtle way. I also have learned that I can know people's long-term happiness based on how they respond to tragic events in life.
If one can apply the principles mentioned in this book, then they can turn the world into their advantages and build their disciplines. It's incredible that these principles look simple, yet it takes years of discovery and research to figure out what makes people change.
If one can apply the principles mentioned in this book, then they can turn the world into their advantages and build their disciplines. It's incredible that these principles look simple, yet it takes years of discovery and research to figure out what makes people change.
January 31, 2021
Перша книга про звички з моєї власної підбірки, яку я собі сформувала на 2021 рік. Дуже захотілось вникнути в тему формування звичок якомога глибше, бо відчуваю, що я дуже "людина-звичка" і "людина-ритуал" :)
Автор розрізняє різні типи людської поведінки (automatic, burning, conscious) та детально розповідає про свою модель "SCIENCE", за допомогою якої можна коригувати ту чи іншу поведінку і вводити позитивні зміни у своє життя. Не можу сказати на скільки ця інформація є дієвою, поки не спробую.
Загалом – доволі цікаво і пізнавально, складні речі описані простою мовою. Деякі приклади з життя реальних людей були захоплюючими, а деякі зайвими. Як на мене, книгу можна було б трохи скоротити.
Автор розрізняє різні типи людської поведінки (automatic, burning, conscious) та детально розповідає про свою модель "SCIENCE", за допомогою якої можна коригувати ту чи іншу поведінку і вводити позитивні зміни у своє життя. Не можу сказати на скільки ця інформація є дієвою, поки не спробую.
Загалом – доволі цікаво і пізнавально, складні речі описані простою мовою. Деякі приклади з життя реальних людей були захоплюючими, а деякі зайвими. Як на мене, книгу можна було б трохи скоротити.
February 5, 2018
I'm pretty leery of any method or system that has been turned into a cutesy acronym, and I am turned off by examples where the shy guy getting sand kicked in his face by life turns into Superman using that cutely-named system, so Young's name-droppy book laying out his "SCIENCE" method for creating behavioral change tripped my cheese-meter pretty heavily. Hey, he was almost in Linkin Park!
That said, I do believe the root of what he's saying is true, helpful and effective for folks looking to make changes in their behavior.
Working with young people on turning vague 'goals' into tangible steps they can objectively measure, complete, and feel good about having completed is a key component of my job. Like Young, I've observed that kids are prone to setting their sights on huge changes--almost always destined to fail--rather than the many smaller steps that will bring the goal closer bit by bit.
Pretty sure everyone I work with in therapyland is tired of me saying "I already knew this because of dog training" but it's true. You can't teach a dog a multi-stage trick just by picturing the completed trick; you've got to break it down into tiny tiny increments that will end up being a long complicated chain of actions. Likewise "doing all my homework" or "not fighting with my sister anymore" need to be broken down into much smaller actions if the habits that are opposing those goals are going to be overcome by new habits.
And of course, I like any author who recommends controlling one's environment :) So I'd recommend Stick with It for anyone interested in making changes in what they do every day, or anyone interested in achieving goals.
That said, I do believe the root of what he's saying is true, helpful and effective for folks looking to make changes in their behavior.
Working with young people on turning vague 'goals' into tangible steps they can objectively measure, complete, and feel good about having completed is a key component of my job. Like Young, I've observed that kids are prone to setting their sights on huge changes--almost always destined to fail--rather than the many smaller steps that will bring the goal closer bit by bit.
Pretty sure everyone I work with in therapyland is tired of me saying "I already knew this because of dog training" but it's true. You can't teach a dog a multi-stage trick just by picturing the completed trick; you've got to break it down into tiny tiny increments that will end up being a long complicated chain of actions. Likewise "doing all my homework" or "not fighting with my sister anymore" need to be broken down into much smaller actions if the habits that are opposing those goals are going to be overcome by new habits.
And of course, I like any author who recommends controlling one's environment :) So I'd recommend Stick with It for anyone interested in making changes in what they do every day, or anyone interested in achieving goals.
February 7, 2019
First step is to identify what specific behavior you want to change, and think about what kind of behavior it is, automatic, burning behavior or common behavior.
Then apply as many as 7 forces to make the change behavior to stick: stepladder, community, important, easy, neurohacks, captivating, engrained(repetitive).
Then apply as many as 7 forces to make the change behavior to stick: stepladder, community, important, easy, neurohacks, captivating, engrained(repetitive).
March 29, 2022
Despite a good overview of psychological studies in the fields of behaviour, motivation, change etc., is an excruciatingly boring read. The whole idea/method of the book could be summarised into a 10 slides PowerPoint presentation with bullet points.
The writing style is patronising and quite ego scratching: too many references to what the author does himself and what he has accomplished (which does not help to bring the point of the book across). The usage of 90's-style MBA/Management consultant mnemonics like S.C.I.E.N.C.E. or "A,B,Cs of behaviour" break the fourth wall and make you realise that you are actually reading a self-help manual.
The level of explanation is for middle school kids. Sentences like "but people are different from tree leaves, because people have brains" make you cringe and question if changing your habits is actually worth suffering through this reading experience.
Nevertheless, the approach/methodology helps to start thinking about own behaviour in more structured way, which allows systematic change and gives some practical tools to implement it.
Just read the last chapter where everything is summarised and some examples are provided - this will do it for most of us.
The writing style is patronising and quite ego scratching: too many references to what the author does himself and what he has accomplished (which does not help to bring the point of the book across). The usage of 90's-style MBA/Management consultant mnemonics like S.C.I.E.N.C.E. or "A,B,Cs of behaviour" break the fourth wall and make you realise that you are actually reading a self-help manual.
The level of explanation is for middle school kids. Sentences like "but people are different from tree leaves, because people have brains" make you cringe and question if changing your habits is actually worth suffering through this reading experience.
Nevertheless, the approach/methodology helps to start thinking about own behaviour in more structured way, which allows systematic change and gives some practical tools to implement it.
Just read the last chapter where everything is summarised and some examples are provided - this will do it for most of us.
May 14, 2019
Probably the greatest, most insightful and helpful, self-help book I have discovered to date. How amazing it is to come across something where the science is sound!
September 7, 2019
Really helpful brain science behind creating good habits and overcoming bad ones. I can see reading this again in the future for another burst of motivation.
December 16, 2017
For the last 17 years, I've again and again sought to form good habits and break bad ones, I've regularly been embroiled in the perennial struggle of trying to motivate my higher human self to not bow the knee before the animal within with its unquenchable ambition to be my tyrannical king. Of course, if I could ever manage to "stick with it" I wouldn't have listen to this audiobook, yet much of what the book touched upon are things that I've found over the years have helped me stick with something, but only for a time. I definitely have learned through trial and error that I must make it small steps, make it easy, and that community and certain brain hacks are essential in the process. The principles mentioned in this book have worked for me, helping me stick with something for months, sometimes even a few years. It seems the problem is to change and to continue to remain after one has changed, one must care, and some days it is like care isn't there, and when this happens, it can be a long while before I again care enough to try again. I must truly see and feel how important something is, before I can find much willingness to take small steps forward and follow the principles in the book. I remember reading "Spark" a book about exercise and the brain, and this book was the spark that resulted in my regularly running, this until my knees, hips, sheen splints, back and feet all were so hell bent to keep me indoors, hindering me from even walking. Once it became so difficult and painful to exercise, I stopped, until I gradually again worked up the sense of the importance and sought to found other ways to keep my heart rate up. Eventually though I got too busy, or it got too hot, or too cold, or I broke a rib after being tossed off a bike, etc... and again my world is thrown out of orbit. After the train is derailed it often is a long while before I finally can work up the motivation to prop the train back up.
January 3, 2021
This book was decent. It has a lot of actionable tips for sticking with habits, nothing super surprising but useful nonetheless. I think the most novel thing about this book for me was the way the author walks you through how to classify your habits/compulsions. And then suggests which of his strategies to use for which classification. The strategies themselves felt pretty standard to anyone who like me, for some reason keeps consuming this kind of book, but the deep dive into motivations was useful and worth the read.
There’s a lot of unnecessary stuff which I think is just part of every book of this ilk. Especiallly at the beginning, I almost stopped listening because there were all these stories that didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Although I give this guy props for using Linkin Park as an example of self-help success, but I’m not going to spoil that for you, you have to read it to behold it.
Also I listened to the audiobook and I could not handle the “woman” voice that the male reader used every time he read an anecdote from a woman. It was truly ridiculous. Just.. why?
There’s a lot of unnecessary stuff which I think is just part of every book of this ilk. Especiallly at the beginning, I almost stopped listening because there were all these stories that didn’t seem to be going anywhere. Although I give this guy props for using Linkin Park as an example of self-help success, but I’m not going to spoil that for you, you have to read it to behold it.
Also I listened to the audiobook and I could not handle the “woman” voice that the male reader used every time he read an anecdote from a woman. It was truly ridiculous. Just.. why?
August 10, 2017
Stick with it is Helpful if You are a Chronic Procrastinator
I bought Sean Young's book because I've been trying to find a way to stop procrastinating at work. A lot of the books that I've looked at including Stephen Covey's "7 Habits" .... that one just has not resonated with me. I don't respond well to preset rules. I've been suffering at work because I can't meet my deadlines. I love my job but I keep pushing things to the last minute and my teammates hate it. Actually, I also hate it. Sean Young's book "Stick with it" has some pretty cool ideas about setting the right-sized steps to achieve what you want. His chapter on stepladders is all about figuring out what you can actually pull off and when. This has enabled me to prioritize my time and also expectations that I give to other people.
July 11, 2021
Small steps. Immediate effect.
This was not what I was expecting from this book. It was full of examples of other people's lives and not as focused on the facts/solutions on how we should ,,change our lives''. It was hard to get to the information I actually needed from this book because it had a lot of useless information in which I personally got lost in.
This was not what I was expecting from this book. It was full of examples of other people's lives and not as focused on the facts/solutions on how we should ,,change our lives''. It was hard to get to the information I actually needed from this book because it had a lot of useless information in which I personally got lost in.
March 17, 2020
Lots of interesting insights into how to achieve lasting change in your life. I was reminded of James Clear's book, Atomic Habits which covers much of the same ground. I personally think Atomic Habits is a better book, but Stick with It still provides a lot of useful information.
June 16, 2025
I can’t believe this was published in 2017 - all of the findings sounded like they were from 20 years ago. It Spent a lot of time explaining the “internet” and how it works for people to connect online. Umm,gee thanks for telling me that people can connect on an ICQ bulletin board or start a group on meetup.com.
This would’ve been great in 2002 but totally lame and boring - it’s entire point is that you need to find a like minded group “online”
This would’ve been great in 2002 but totally lame and boring - it’s entire point is that you need to find a like minded group “online”
December 22, 2018
Step ladder.
Community.
Make it easy.
Control the environment.
Limit choices
Use a roadmap
Neural hacks
Start acting with the desired action.
Make boring things fun and rewarding.
Make the reward not just good but captivating. Use the carrot and not the stick (do not use fear but something positive).
Make the activity itself rewarding.
Community.
Make it easy.
Control the environment.
Limit choices
Use a roadmap
Neural hacks
Start acting with the desired action.
Make boring things fun and rewarding.
Make the reward not just good but captivating. Use the carrot and not the stick (do not use fear but something positive).
Make the activity itself rewarding.
May 9, 2021
Very informative, a lot of scientific background and logic solutions. One of the strongest reinforcements I found was that you become what you do on a regular basis, mind will also follow body, not only the other way round
September 17, 2023
Easy read and interesting examples. The only downside is the book title makes it sound like a practical self-help book but it actually focuses more on the scientific explanation. If you’re looking for a more balanced mix between science and practical guidelines, Atomic Habits is the one to read. This one seems like it tried to achieve the same thing but missed the mark.
September 27, 2025
A mixed bag of absolutely life-changing and so obvious it gets boring. The chapter on stepladders is gold and so is the separation of behaviors into automatic, burning, and common. Definitely more centered on personal use even though claims to be relevant for businesses.
May 27, 2020
با اینکه یک کتاب خودیاری علمیه، لحن بازاری نویسنده و مبالغهاش دربارهٔ اهمیت کتاب برام کمی ناخوشایند بود.
کتاب چند نکتهٔ مهم و مفید درباره اصول تغییر رفتار میگه که می تونه در چند صفحه خلاصه بشه امّا پرحرفی نویسنده و حجم زیاد شواهد و مثال ها خسته کننده اش می کنه. البته می تونید مثل من سریع از این قسمت هاش رد بشید.
کتاب چند نکتهٔ مهم و مفید درباره اصول تغییر رفتار میگه که می تونه در چند صفحه خلاصه بشه امّا پرحرفی نویسنده و حجم زیاد شواهد و مثال ها خسته کننده اش می کنه. البته می تونید مثل من سریع از این قسمت هاش رد بشید.
December 13, 2018
Первая из запланированных к прочтению книг о привычках. Мне показалась недостаточно убедительной: с автором, вроде бы, соглашаешься, но в книге мало энергии, чтобы начать выполнять советы автора.
Но, тем не менее, рекомендую для понимания механизма возникновения привычек разных типов и хорошего инструмента - лестница - привития новых привычек.
Что показалось интересным:
1. Появление привычек обусловлено стремлением человека, в частности, человеческого мозга, к эффективности: автоматическое действие - привычка - позволяет получить результат при минимальных затратах энергии.
2. Модель лестницы: мечты, цели и шаги. Мечты нужны для мотивации, но сфокусироваться нужно на конкретных шагах.
3. Чтобы изменить поведение нужно сосредоточиться не на конечном результате, а на ежедневном процессе.
4. Дисконтирование во времени: люди больше ценят маленькие, но быстрые награды, чем большие, но отдалённые.
5. Планирование и рефлексия - условия, необходимые, чтобы лестница заработала. Размышления о достигнутом прогрессе формируют уверенность в выполнение следующего шага.
6. Люди продолжают делать только то, что кажется им важным. Чтобы что то делать регулярно надо доказать самому себе почему это важнее обычных дел.
7. Психология лёгкости: если убрать барьеры, то человеку гораздо легче продолжать что то делать. Человек останавливается, если видит препятствия.
8. Есть 3 способа убрать барьеры: изменить среду, ограничить выбор, разработать план.
9. Эффект плана: наличие плана облегчает вероятность любого действия, поскольку с планом его ЛЕГЧЕ совершить.
10. Недооценка сложности, нереалистичный план - распространенная причина неудач: выполнение действия становится слишком сложным.
11. Упрощение помогает добиться последовательности
12. Нейрохакинг: набор психологических уловок, которые заставляют людей лучше о себе думать и начать делать то, на что они раньше были неспособны.
13. Информирование само по себе не мотивирует людей (о вреде курения все знают).
14. Типы нежелательного поведения: автоматическое (неосознается), жгучее (осознаётся, но невозможно противостоять), обыкновенное (осознаётся, но осознания мало, чтобы прекратить).
15. Чтобы эффективно бороться с нежелательным поведением надо понять его тип.
Но, тем не менее, рекомендую для понимания механизма возникновения привычек разных типов и хорошего инструмента - лестница - привития новых привычек.
Что показалось интересным:
1. Появление привычек обусловлено стремлением человека, в частности, человеческого мозга, к эффективности: автоматическое действие - привычка - позволяет получить результат при минимальных затратах энергии.
2. Модель лестницы: мечты, цели и шаги. Мечты нужны для мотивации, но сфокусироваться нужно на конкретных шагах.
3. Чтобы изменить поведение нужно сосредоточиться не на конечном результате, а на ежедневном процессе.
4. Дисконтирование во времени: люди больше ценят маленькие, но быстрые награды, чем большие, но отдалённые.
5. Планирование и рефлексия - условия, необходимые, чтобы лестница заработала. Размышления о достигнутом прогрессе формируют уверенность в выполнение следующего шага.
6. Люди продолжают делать только то, что кажется им важным. Чтобы что то делать регулярно надо доказать самому себе почему это важнее обычных дел.
7. Психология лёгкости: если убрать барьеры, то человеку гораздо легче продолжать что то делать. Человек останавливается, если видит препятствия.
8. Есть 3 способа убрать барьеры: изменить среду, ограничить выбор, разработать план.
9. Эффект плана: наличие плана облегчает вероятность любого действия, поскольку с планом его ЛЕГЧЕ совершить.
10. Недооценка сложности, нереалистичный план - распространенная причина неудач: выполнение действия становится слишком сложным.
11. Упрощение помогает добиться последовательности
12. Нейрохакинг: набор психологических уловок, которые заставляют людей лучше о себе думать и начать делать то, на что они раньше были неспособны.
13. Информирование само по себе не мотивирует людей (о вреде курения все знают).
14. Типы нежелательного поведения: автоматическое (неосознается), жгучее (осознаётся, но невозможно противостоять), обыкновенное (осознаётся, но осознания мало, чтобы прекратить).
15. Чтобы эффективно бороться с нежелательным поведением надо понять его тип.
July 24, 2017
Dr. Young SCIENCE Approach is a Great Tool for Educators
I am a high school teacher. I often ask myself why my students never turn their papers in on time. Is it because I am too nice to my students? Do I need to be more strict? According to Stick with it, Dr. Young says there is no one size fits all approach for all students. Behavior psychology demands a multi prong approach. I like the idea of using different tools, like community pressure and stepladders, for different students, based on different benchmarks. The book comes with helpful worksheets and charts. These are focused on individual readers and not on groups which would make it more useful. Still, a good read overall.
I am a high school teacher. I often ask myself why my students never turn their papers in on time. Is it because I am too nice to my students? Do I need to be more strict? According to Stick with it, Dr. Young says there is no one size fits all approach for all students. Behavior psychology demands a multi prong approach. I like the idea of using different tools, like community pressure and stepladders, for different students, based on different benchmarks. The book comes with helpful worksheets and charts. These are focused on individual readers and not on groups which would make it more useful. Still, a good read overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2017
I got a lot out of this book and will keep re-reading certain passages to keep the techniques fresh in my mind. Unlike a previous reviewer, I've not read many goal setting books, so this was interesting to me. It parallels Duckworth's Grit that I recently finished. Easy, conversational tone that is definitely aimed at the layperson wishing to change up their life. I appreciate that he is an actual scientist and not another motivational speaker giving you a pep talk.
August 10, 2017
Great Book If You Pay For Weight Loss Products and Don't Use Them
Dr. Young's Stick With It gave me some really great ideas on how to deal with my weight loss issues. I tried Weight Watches, Nutrisystem, Atkins, blablabla. The problem is that I am the kind of person that signs up for a program, pays for the program and then never uses it. The book helped me understand and realize that a lot of people do that. There are some nice charts and worksheets that describe what you need to do design a process to stick with lifestyle changes. In my case, I need to stop making unhealthy food choices so easy (check out the EASY chapter).
Dr. Young's Stick With It gave me some really great ideas on how to deal with my weight loss issues. I tried Weight Watches, Nutrisystem, Atkins, blablabla. The problem is that I am the kind of person that signs up for a program, pays for the program and then never uses it. The book helped me understand and realize that a lot of people do that. There are some nice charts and worksheets that describe what you need to do design a process to stick with lifestyle changes. In my case, I need to stop making unhealthy food choices so easy (check out the EASY chapter).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2018
“I am the genius that invented and patented the following obvious things.” — this and many other authors
July 26, 2018
It was ok. I much preferred Switch by Chip and Dan Heath.
March 12, 2025
OK - starts out strong, gets wordy, finishes pretty well.
February 5, 2021
Awesome book. I really like how positive Sean Young is about this whole project and I love "experiencing" how optimistically he views the human condition through his writing. A lot of it is watered down and massively simplified b/c it's a pop-sci book, but you still get glimpses of his personality in there.
As for the content, I wasn't actually a fan of his rubric for behaviour change while I was reading it. It seemed quite contrived and forced into the "SCIENCE" acronym. And, I was thinking my scheme I use with my clients is actually better, lol, and I know how stupid that sounds. Lemme explain though.
My scheme is this:
~1st line of defence: Stimulus removal (Complete environmental shift or removal of the thing you want to stop doing)
~2nd line of defence: Impulse tuning (Manipulating environment and cognition to make graded reductions in the "pull" you feel towards bad behaviour, and additions to the "push" you feel towards good behaviour. This line of defence contains a gazillion strategies. Accountability partner, precommitment, habit stacking, proximal goals, etc.)
~3rd line of defence: Maximising descending inhibition (Maximising your willpower/ability to control your impulses. Sleeping better, avoiding negative emotional states, practising gratitude, etc.)
And that's it. 3 lines of defence. Which is why I was patting myself on the back with the simplciity of my model compared to Sean's, and I've seen mine benefit people before.
Towards the end of this book, I got off my high-horse and realised that Sean's model and mine are describing the same thing, he's just laying on what I would call "2nd lines of defence". Tuning impulses up or down by chunking down goals (STEPLADDERS), social accountability (COMMUNITY), thinking about your reason why (IMPORTANT), controlling environment (EASY), using cognitive-dissonance to your advantage (NEUROHACKS), making the behaviour more rewarding (CAPTIVATING), and habit stacking or consistency in repetition (ENGRAINED). So while I was using different words, it's all the same shit. Kinnnnd of worrying that I've exhausted the main strategies out of the behaviour change literature. Hopefully there's more out there. I've only been studying this for a year. The chapter on Neurohacks was all new to me - I haven't read anything about applying that cognitive dissonance to behaviour change before and so found it fascinating. Will be using that with clients fo' sho'.
If you didn't notice, these steps spell out "SCIENCE", which again, I find contrived. And I can almost "feel" that Mr. Young was pressured by editors to change his writing style a lot, but it does actually make it easier to remember, and at the end of the day I like it a lot.
Another thing I liked was his idea that change strategies can be systematically different based on aspects of the behaviour you're trying to change. Usually, I approach each behaviour afresh, but this will give me a rubric to apply so I'm not going in blind.
Obligatory 5 stars given how disproportionately little attention is given to behaviour change. There should be at LEAST 20 great scientists writing about this topic for the general audience, but I don't think there are even 20 great scientists who study behaviour change full stop. Sean Young is definitely one though!! Great book.
As for the content, I wasn't actually a fan of his rubric for behaviour change while I was reading it. It seemed quite contrived and forced into the "SCIENCE" acronym. And, I was thinking my scheme I use with my clients is actually better, lol, and I know how stupid that sounds. Lemme explain though.
My scheme is this:
~1st line of defence: Stimulus removal (Complete environmental shift or removal of the thing you want to stop doing)
~2nd line of defence: Impulse tuning (Manipulating environment and cognition to make graded reductions in the "pull" you feel towards bad behaviour, and additions to the "push" you feel towards good behaviour. This line of defence contains a gazillion strategies. Accountability partner, precommitment, habit stacking, proximal goals, etc.)
~3rd line of defence: Maximising descending inhibition (Maximising your willpower/ability to control your impulses. Sleeping better, avoiding negative emotional states, practising gratitude, etc.)
And that's it. 3 lines of defence. Which is why I was patting myself on the back with the simplciity of my model compared to Sean's, and I've seen mine benefit people before.
Towards the end of this book, I got off my high-horse and realised that Sean's model and mine are describing the same thing, he's just laying on what I would call "2nd lines of defence". Tuning impulses up or down by chunking down goals (STEPLADDERS), social accountability (COMMUNITY), thinking about your reason why (IMPORTANT), controlling environment (EASY), using cognitive-dissonance to your advantage (NEUROHACKS), making the behaviour more rewarding (CAPTIVATING), and habit stacking or consistency in repetition (ENGRAINED). So while I was using different words, it's all the same shit. Kinnnnd of worrying that I've exhausted the main strategies out of the behaviour change literature. Hopefully there's more out there. I've only been studying this for a year. The chapter on Neurohacks was all new to me - I haven't read anything about applying that cognitive dissonance to behaviour change before and so found it fascinating. Will be using that with clients fo' sho'.
If you didn't notice, these steps spell out "SCIENCE", which again, I find contrived. And I can almost "feel" that Mr. Young was pressured by editors to change his writing style a lot, but it does actually make it easier to remember, and at the end of the day I like it a lot.
Another thing I liked was his idea that change strategies can be systematically different based on aspects of the behaviour you're trying to change. Usually, I approach each behaviour afresh, but this will give me a rubric to apply so I'm not going in blind.
Obligatory 5 stars given how disproportionately little attention is given to behaviour change. There should be at LEAST 20 great scientists writing about this topic for the general audience, but I don't think there are even 20 great scientists who study behaviour change full stop. Sean Young is definitely one though!! Great book.
November 17, 2017
Stick with It is a mixed bag. There are definitely some things that I think are not true in here. It is ind of hokey, very anecdotal, somewhat poorly researched book. But it does have some interesting stuff in it. So I can't really recommend it. But if you read it, you'll probably learn something. Hopefully it will be something true.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
THE NEED TO TRUST: When people trust other community members—whether family, friends, coworkers, or strangers—they become more willing to learn, more open-minded, and more willing to change. This trust is formed when people share thoughts, experiences, and difficulties with others. In our studies, we found that communities can create trust (and ultimately, lasting change) by getting people to share personal information by doing something as small as getting people to talk about what they did today. THE NEED TO FIT IN: Most people strive to fit in. They might not need to fit in everywhere, but they need to have some community where they fit in, whether it be their family, friends, or a social club. For people to know how to fit in, they need to understand the social norms of that community. For example, a community formed to get people to vote for Democratic candidates would make that social norm clear. It would praise Democratic candidates and the people who vote for them. Communities that have a clear social norm will be more successful in creating lasting change. Most people are willing to change their attitudes and/or behavior to fit in these group norms and with the community. THE NEED FOR SELF-WORTH: People keep doing things that make them feel good about themselves. Communities that get people to feel good about themselves can increase self-esteem and keep community members motivated. THE NEED FOR A SOCIAL MAGNET: We explained the concept of the social magnet earlier in the chapter. The social magnet is essential for a strong community to promote lasting change. If you join a community and you don’t feel the social magnet, then it probably won’t help you to change. Find another community. The same is true if you are building a community. If your community members don’t feel the social magnet, you need to change the psychological elements of the community. THE NEED TO BE REWARDED: Anyone who has seen an episode of Cesar Millan, “the dog whisperer,” has seen him change dogs by rewarding them for good behavior. People are similar to dogs in a lot of ways (this is no secret to dog lovers). People, just like dogs, will keep doing things if they get rewarded for good behavior. Eventually, these behaviors can become habits. We’ll go into a lot more detail about this need to be rewarded in Chapter 7 (Captivating). THE NEED TO FEEL EMPOWERED: Just as people have to feel good about themselves to satisfy their need for self-worth, they need to feel like they are in control of their lives to satisfy this need. Empowerment (or self-efficacy, as you might remember from the last chapter) is one of the strongest predictors of change. People who belong to a community that empowers them, by leading by example with mentors or role models, are more likely than those who don’t to achieve lasting changes in their lives. (p.64)
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
THE NEED TO TRUST: When people trust other community members—whether family, friends, coworkers, or strangers—they become more willing to learn, more open-minded, and more willing to change. This trust is formed when people share thoughts, experiences, and difficulties with others. In our studies, we found that communities can create trust (and ultimately, lasting change) by getting people to share personal information by doing something as small as getting people to talk about what they did today. THE NEED TO FIT IN: Most people strive to fit in. They might not need to fit in everywhere, but they need to have some community where they fit in, whether it be their family, friends, or a social club. For people to know how to fit in, they need to understand the social norms of that community. For example, a community formed to get people to vote for Democratic candidates would make that social norm clear. It would praise Democratic candidates and the people who vote for them. Communities that have a clear social norm will be more successful in creating lasting change. Most people are willing to change their attitudes and/or behavior to fit in these group norms and with the community. THE NEED FOR SELF-WORTH: People keep doing things that make them feel good about themselves. Communities that get people to feel good about themselves can increase self-esteem and keep community members motivated. THE NEED FOR A SOCIAL MAGNET: We explained the concept of the social magnet earlier in the chapter. The social magnet is essential for a strong community to promote lasting change. If you join a community and you don’t feel the social magnet, then it probably won’t help you to change. Find another community. The same is true if you are building a community. If your community members don’t feel the social magnet, you need to change the psychological elements of the community. THE NEED TO BE REWARDED: Anyone who has seen an episode of Cesar Millan, “the dog whisperer,” has seen him change dogs by rewarding them for good behavior. People are similar to dogs in a lot of ways (this is no secret to dog lovers). People, just like dogs, will keep doing things if they get rewarded for good behavior. Eventually, these behaviors can become habits. We’ll go into a lot more detail about this need to be rewarded in Chapter 7 (Captivating). THE NEED TO FEEL EMPOWERED: Just as people have to feel good about themselves to satisfy their need for self-worth, they need to feel like they are in control of their lives to satisfy this need. Empowerment (or self-efficacy, as you might remember from the last chapter) is one of the strongest predictors of change. People who belong to a community that empowers them, by leading by example with mentors or role models, are more likely than those who don’t to achieve lasting changes in their lives. (p.64)
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