The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg
‘Once you understand that habits can change you have the freedom, and the responsibility, to remake them’.
Our focus book, as part of Fighting Fit Together, for January, was ‘The Power of Habit’, chosen by Glen. And what a great way to start the year it was too, Thank you, Glen!
Glen runs ‘The Happy Mind Revolution’, for FREE, through Facebook.
If you would like to join his community, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/941834456193115
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve any aspect of their life, but especially anyone who runs a business!
It is an engaging book to read as it uses case studies throughout, backed by research (which is all referenced at the back, if you want to delve deeper), with understandable explanations and practical advice on how you can implement habit change into your life.
The book is broken into 3 sections, the first one is about individual habit change – how you can make changes to yourself and explaining how habits work.
The 2nd and 3rd sections highlight the true power that habits have, by focusing on ‘social habits’ and how organisations are a product of habits, and how the leaders influence this, whether they realise it or not! Then it goes into how habit change occurs at a societal level and how movements occur.
I found so many parts of this book interesting that it is difficult to pick ‘highlights’, but the ‘Starbucks’ case study really stands out in my mind.
Did you know that Starbucks has an education program to teach life skills, which parents and formal educators have failed to teach, to individuals who have been let down by society?
When they employ someone, they train them not just how to serve coffee but how to think, and operate, differently.
By teaching employees how to create a habit of willpower, treating them with respect, and giving them a sense of agency, they have created a community with increased energy, self-confidence, and discipline, made up of individuals who are enthusiastic to provide quality service to customers, which improves business, and profit.
I also found the final part of the book extremely interesting where the ‘Neurology of free will’ is discussed and the ethics around this.
When do our habits become so strong that we lose control over our actions?
If you’d like to be able to make your own, better, judgment on this question, you’ll have to read it to find out more!
If you are establishing a brand/business, I will recommend this book, again, to you.
As you will be a ‘leader’.
Even if you are not a ‘coach’, if you have an audience you have an influence.
Even if your audience is small, someone is listening to you and potentially taking action based upon what you do/say.
This has an impact across society…
You have a responsibility to educate yourself on the potential effect your habits are having on others too, not just yourself.
I can now understand why Glen has read it multiple times.
And, his recommendation for a ‘follow-up’ book is:
‘The Compound Effect’ by Darren Hardy.
We are reading ‘Tuesday’s with Morrie’ through February, recommended by Felicity.
I am looking forward to this, as I hold Felicity’s judgment in high regard, as she runs her own book club ‘Felicity Reads’, here is the link if you’d like to get involved:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/648336495790527
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