How to Change audiobook cover - Change can feel intimidating, but it becomes more possible when it’s approached gently and strategically—by starting at the right moments, designing helpful accountability, making progress feel rewarding now, and leaning on supportive people who keep you going.

How to Change

Change can feel intimidating, but it becomes more possible when it’s approached gently and strategically—by starting at the right moments, designing helpful accountability, making progress feel rewarding now, and leaning on supportive people who keep you going.

Based on ideas popularized by Katy Milkman

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Personal DevelopmentPsychology

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Chapter Overview

Description

This audio-friendly summary explores why change is so hard—even when people truly want it—and what behavioral science suggests can help. Through relatable stories, it highlights the hidden patterns behind fresh starts, procrastination, temptation, self-doubt, and the social forces that shape what people do.

Rather than pushing perfection, the message is steady and practical: human behavior is flexible, and lasting change is often less about willpower and more about setting up the right moments, the right systems, and the right support—then returning to the effort again and again.

Who Should Listen

  • People who feel stuck in habits they genuinely want to change, and want a kinder, more realistic way to begin again
  • Listeners who like practical, behavioral-science-inspired tools such as fresh-start timing, temptation bundling, commitment devices, and reminders
  • Anyone building long-term goals—health, work, finances, learning—who wants strategies for staying consistent when motivation fades

About the Authors

This summary draws on widely shared behavioral science concepts and quotes attributed here to Katy Milkman, a leading voice in research on behavior change and motivation. The examples and tools reflect common findings in the field: timing matters, environments shape action, and systems can support the habits people want to keep.