How to Change

Katy Milkman dismantles the myth of willpower as a universal fix, arguing that lasting change demands matching specific tactics to specific obstacles. Drawing from behavioral economics research, she identifies seven distinct barriers: Not Starting, Impulsivity, Procrastination, Forgetfulness, Laziness, Self-Doubt, and Conformity. Her studies reveal that people are 20-30% more likely to commit to saving money when tied to a milestone like a birthday rather than an arbitrary date. From temptation bundling with audiobooks like The Hunger Games to commitment devices that lock in future behavior, Milkman offers precision tools for each failure mode.

You'll learn:

- Why fresh starts like New Year's Day create genuine psychological momentum

- How pairing guilty pleasures with hard tasks boosted exercise by 55%

- The cue-based planning technique that turns forgetfulness into automatic action