Review first published on my blog: http://memoriesfrombooks.blogspot.com/2012/03/power-of-habit.html

The Power of Habit is subtitled Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. It presents one approach to why individual and organizational habits form and what can be done to change them. It presents the idea of the habit loop - a trigger, a routine or habit, and the reward.

The book presents numerous examples of the application of this habit loop at a personal and corporate level. Examples range from army operations in Iraq to Pepsodent toothpaste and Febreeze, from a person's mid-afternoon snack to the operations of large companies like Starbucks and Alcoa.

The idea is a conceptually simple one. Change the routine in a way to respond to the trigger and get the same reward. Practice it over and over again until you do it without thinking - in other words, until it becomes a habit. I find it a useful framework to keep in mind but not a magic solution to changing all bad habits. Implementing this idea is the real challenge. The examples in the book provide a glimpse of how individuals and companies have successfully done so.

I really enjoyed reading this book. At a basic level, the book is an entertaining read, and the example stories are a fun look at our culture and some people and companies that are household names. At a more thinking level, the framework in the book provides a valuable tool for personal growth. It is not the answer for every bad habit, but definitely for many. Now the question is, can I apply it effectively in my life to change some habits? Can you?

***Reviewed for GoodReads First Reads program***

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The Power Of Habit claims to be a book that is key for the reader to learn how to make good habits. Such as habits to help a person to exercise, lose weight, raise children, and build a business. Author Charles Duhigg describes that making smaller good habits will help change the bad ones.

I listened to the audio version of The Power Of Habit. I thought maybe listening to the audiobook my brain would able to absorb what needs to be done to create some good habits. Some of the stories were interesting including the one about Starbucks and others.

As I listened I realized that most of the book was really talking about examples of how others changed or already had habits and how they kept or change them. Which was sadly not what I was looking for. I guess what I wanted was a workbook with The Power Of Habit. I wanted to know where I begin not how someone else did. I needed a little more guidance.

This was the first self help book I listened to on audio and I think I will be doing more non-fiction by audio. Even though this is not what I was looking for it was still a interesting book.

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