What will I learn about: divide your massive ambitions into two-day steps, weekly goals, and long-term dreams to consistently trigger your brain's dopamine-driven reward system?

Learn how to divide your massive ambitions into two-day steps, weekly goals, and long-term dreams to consistently trigger your brain's dopamine-driven reward system.

What will I learn about: why focusing strictly on distant, long-term objectives can actually cause you to fail, whereas daily targets naturally hack your mind for success?

Discover why focusing strictly on distant, long-term objectives can actually cause you to fail, whereas daily targets naturally hack your mind for success.

What will I learn about: Harness the power of the 'social magnet' by joining supportive communities that satisfy your instinctual craving for connection and prevent you from abandoning your goals?

Harness the power of the 'social magnet' by joining supportive communities that satisfy your instinctual craving for connection and prevent you from abandoning your goals.

What will I learn about: how to leverage human nature by putting your goals into a deeply personal context, such as visualizing your future self, to dramatically boost long-term motivation?

Understand how to leverage human nature by putting your goals into a deeply personal context, such as visualizing your future self, to dramatically boost long-term motivation.

What will I learn about: how making strategic changes to your environment and removing unnecessary daily obstacles can create a highly effective path of least resistance?

Find out how making strategic changes to your environment and removing unnecessary daily obstacles can create a highly effective path of least resistance.

Stick with It

A Scientifically Proven Process for Changing Your Life – for Good

Sean D. Young

★ 4.3 / 5(119 ratings)

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Categories:

Mindfulness & Happiness Psychology

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Have you ever wondered why willpower alone is rarely enough to break a bad habit, and what your brain actually needs to make a change stick?
💡What if you could stop relying on fleeting motivation and instead use a scientifically proven seven-step framework to reach your biggest goals?
💡Are you curious about the small, surprising psychological shifts that can turn a struggling routine into a permanent, life-changing success?

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Key Takeaways from Stick with It

✓Learn how to divide your massive ambitions into two-day steps, weekly goals, and long-term dreams to consistently trigger your brain's dopamine-driven reward system.
✓Discover why focusing strictly on distant, long-term objectives can actually cause you to fail, whereas daily targets naturally hack your mind for success.
✓Harness the power of the 'social magnet' by joining supportive communities that satisfy your instinctual craving for connection and prevent you from abandoning your goals.
✓Understand how to leverage human nature by putting your goals into a deeply personal context, such as visualizing your future self, to dramatically boost long-term motivation.
✓Find out how making strategic changes to your environment and removing unnecessary daily obstacles can create a highly effective path of least resistance.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Stick with It

Mind Map

Stick with It

Goal Structuring+

Social & Psychological Needs+

Environment & Clarity+

Neurohacks & Identity+

Motivation & Rewards+

Mastering Habits+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 10

What is the primary reason short-term goals are more effective than long-term goals for habit formation?

A. They require less physical effort and willpower to complete.
B. They trigger frequent dopamine releases in the brain when anticipated and achieved.
C. They prevent others from judging your progress too harshly.
D. They force you to focus on the distant future rather than the present.

Question 2 of 10

According to the book's goal-setting framework, what distinguishes a 'step' from a 'dream'?

A. A step takes two days or less to complete, while a dream takes three months or longer.
B. A step is a mental exercise, while a dream requires physical action.
C. A step is done individually, while a dream requires a supportive community.
D. A step is focused on breaking bad habits, while a dream is focused on creating new ones.

Question 3 of 10

What concept describes the phenomenon where a community keeps individuals from splintering off and abandoning a shared goal?

A. The accountability trap
B. The herd mentality
C. The social magnet
D. The peer pressure paradox

Question 4 of 10

How did Dr. Hal Hershfield successfully motivate study participants to put aside more money for retirement?

A. By offering them a high-interest financial reward for saving.
B. By showing them digitally altered photos of themselves looking older.
C. By warning them about the statistical likelihood of elder poverty.
D. By pairing them with elderly mentors who regretted not saving.

Question 5 of 10

What did the Yale University study regarding tetanus shots reveal about human behavior and goal achievement?

A. Fear-based statistics about tetanus were the most effective way to motivate people.
B. People only get shots when they are offered a financial incentive.
C. Overloading people with medical information causes them to ignore public health directives.
D. Providing a concrete road map and action plan significantly increased the likelihood of people getting the shot.

Question 6 of 10

Which of the following is an example of a 'behavioral neurohack' as described in the text?

A. Using an app to block social media during work hours.
B. Engaging in a 12-minute conversation to counteract feelings of social anxiety.
C. Setting an alarm to wake up an hour earlier every day.
D. Writing down your daily goals in a journal every morning.

Question 7 of 10

How can changing your speech help you accomplish a new goal, such as starting to run?

A. By talking about the goal constantly to hold yourself publicly accountable.
B. By using self-deprecating humor to lower your expectations and reduce anxiety.
C. By referring to yourself as a 'runner' to shape your identity, rather than just someone who runs.
D. By avoiding the topic entirely to prevent performance anxiety.

Question 8 of 10

Why is fear-based motivation generally ineffective in the long run?

A. People perceive fear as an immediate threat, and once the threat passes, they return to bad habits.
B. People eventually realize the threats are entirely fabricated.
C. It triggers immediate dopamine releases that quickly fade.
D. Fear makes people overly confident in their ability to overcome obstacles.

Question 9 of 10

According to the book, what is the most effective technique to remedy 'common behavior', such as a conscious failure to get enough exercise?

A. Punishing yourself every time you miss a workout.
B. Wearing gloves or chewing gum to distract your brain.
C. Turning off your cell phone during certain times of the day.
D. Surrounding yourself with a supportive community of like-minded people.

Question 10 of 10

Why does the author suggest taking an improv or jazz class as actionable advice?

A. It serves as a neurohack that trains your mind to adapt to changes and stay in the present moment.
B. It helps you overcome the fear of public speaking through exposure therapy.
C. It is a proven way to meet like-minded people who share your long-term dreams.
D. It distracts you from 'burning behaviors' like constantly checking your phone.

Stick with It — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2If you need extra motivation, break down your dreams into small, manageable steps.
3If you want to stay committed and engaged, ensure you’re part of a supportive community of like-minded people.
4Leverage human nature in practical ways to help achieve your goals.
5Adjusting your environment and setting a clear, firm course can truly help you stay on track.
6By taking specific actions, you can shift your thoughts and remain motivated.
7Avoid the pitfalls of fear-based motivation and working only for rewards.
8The key to eliminating bad habits is to replace them with positive ones.
9There are three kinds of unwanted behaviors that we typically engage in.

Stick with It Summary & Overview

Stick with It (2017) offers sensible advice that you can start using today to make positive changes in your life. Drawing from real-world case studies and the latest behavioral research, author Sean Young provides a thorough and rational plan for how you can combat your bad habits and follow through on your dreams and goals.

Who Should Listen to Stick with It?

Anyone struggling to make lasting changes in their life
Readers who are eager to break bad habits
Professionals keen to improve ineffective personal work routines

About the Author: Sean D. Young

Sean D. Young, PhD, is a professor at the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior.

Stick with It

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Stick with It — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Stick with It

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Stick with It — Full Chapter Overview

Stick with It Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Stick with It?

About the Author: Sean D. Young

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