“According to one recent study, the average adult forgets three things each day, ranging from pin numbers to chores to wedding anniversaries. We’re so forgetful, in part, because it’s difficult for information to stick in our brains, especially if we’ve only thought about it once or twice.”
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
“many of us choose not to adopt commitment devices because we undervalue them or are naïve about how much we need them, not because we don’t need them or are unwilling to risk the penalty.”
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
“Research has proven time and again that rather than relying on willpower to resist temptation, we’re better off figuring out how to make good behaviors more gratifying in the short-term. Big payoffs far down the road just aren’t enough to keep us motivated.”
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
“An engineer can’t design a successful structure without first carefully accounting for the forces of opposition (say, wind resistance or gravity). So engineers always attempt to solve problems by first identifying the obstacles to success. Now, studying behavior change, I began to understand the power and promise of applying this same strategy. It’s the very strategy that turned Andre Agassi’s tennis career around by helping him refocus on his opponents’ weaknesses.”
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
“Temptation bundling entails allowing yourself to engage in a guilty pleasure (such as binge-watching TV) only when pursuing a virtuous or valuable activity that you tend to dread (such as exercise). Temptation bundling solves two problems at once. It can help reduce overindulgence in temptations and increase time spent on activities that serve your long-term goals. Gamification is another way to make goal pursuit instantly gratifying. It involves making something that isn’t a game feel more engaging and less monotonous by adding gamelike features such as symbolic rewards, a sense of competition, and leaderboards. Gamification works when players “buy in” to the game. It can backfire if players feel the game is being imposed on them.”
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
― How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
Sebastian’s 2025 Year in Books
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