Wendy Wood

A landmark book about how we form habits, and what we can do with this knowledge to make positive change We spend a shocking 43 percent of our day doing things without thinking about them. That means that almost half of our actions aren’t conscious choices but the result of our non-conscious mind nudging our body to act along learned behaviors. How we respond to the people around us; the way we conduct ourselves in a meeting; what we buy; when and how we exercise, eat, and drink—a truly remarkable number of things we do every day, regardless of their complexity, operate outside of our awareness. We do them automatically. We do them by habit. And yet, whenever we want to change something about ourselves, we rely on willpower. We keep turning to our conscious selves, hoping that our determination and intention will be enough to effect positive change. And that is why almost all of us fail. But what if you could harness the extraordinary power of your unconscious mind, which already determines so much of what you do, to truly reach your goals? Wendy Wood draws on three decades of original research to explain the fascinating science of how we form habits, and offers the key to unlocking our habitual mind in order to make the changes we seek. A potent mix of neuroscience, case studies, and experiments conducted in her lab, Good Habits, Bad Habits is a comprehensive, accessible, and above all deeply practical book that will change the way you think about almost every aspect of your life. By explaining how our brains are wired to respond to rewards, receive cues from our surroundings, and shut down when faced with too much friction, Wood skillfully dissects habit formation, demonstrating how we can take advantage of this knowledge to form better habits. Her clear and incisive work shows why willpower alone is woefully inadequate when we’re working toward building the life we truly want, and offers real hope for those who want to make positive change.

The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick

Good Habits, Bad Habits

Good Habits, Bad Habits - Gewohnheiten für immer ändern

I am a child, innocent, spirited, and full of life. The world I live in is a magical place. I am strong. I am safe. I am complete. There is another girl inside of me. She is broken. Nothing is certain in her world. She is frightened of the screaming but terrified of the silence. I take her by the hand and together we grow, we struggle but we survive. We are two separate beings and one in the same. I am fearless and afraid. I am content and I am restless. I am undefined, a contradiction in terms. I am all things and none as I stumble through this life gracefully, a mere human, fantastically flawed... My name is Nichole McCallister and I survived a horror no woman should ever face. I locked myself behind walls tall and strong and the only man who could help me break free of them coveted a darkness all his own. Welcome to my journey.

Fantastically Flawed

“Não há ninguém melhor que Wendy Wood em mostrar como transformar comportamentos prejudiciais em poderosos hábitos produtivos.” – Robert B. Cialdini, autor de As armas da persuasão “Se você sempre sofreu para criar ou abandonar um hábito, precisa ler este livro” – Adam Grant “Wendy Wood é a maior especialista do mundo na área e este livro é essencial.” – Angela Duckworth, autora de Garra Com base em três décadas de pesquisas, Wendy Wood apresenta a fascinante ciência de como formamos hábitos – e mostra como desbloquear a mente para realizar as mudanças que buscamos. Neste livro, ela explica que 43% das nossas ações não são escolhas conscientes. Fazemos automaticamente, por hábito. É assim que respondemos às pessoas ao nosso redor, decidimos o que comprar, quando e como nos exercitar, comer ou beber. Mas sempre que queremos melhorar algo em nós mesmos, contamos com a força de vontade. Insistimos em recorrer ao nosso consciente, na esperança de que a determinação seja capaz de promover mudanças positivas. Por isso é que falhamos tantas vezes. Bons hábitos, maus hábitos é uma combinação potente de neurociência, estudo de casos e relato de experimentos que vai mudar sua maneira de pensar sobre quase todos os aspectos da vida e lhe dar ferramentas concretas para transformar seu dia a dia. E se pudéssemos aproveitar o poder extraordinário do inconsciente, que já determina grande parte do que fazemos, para alcançar nossos objetivos? Você vai entender como o cérebro humano é preparado para responder a recompensas, receber dicas do ambiente e desligar quando detecta muito atrito. Além disso, vai descobrir como tirar vantagem desse conhecimento para formar hábitos mais positivos e construir a vida que realmente quer.

Bons hábitos, maus hábitos

John A. Bargh

David Ellis Melnikoff

N.B. This Research Topic was co-developed with David Melnikoff - a junior Topic Editor managing this article collection but not involved in editing manuscripts submitted to this Research Topic.

On the Nature and Scope of Habits and Model-Free Control

Thais Mazur

To take good care of ourselves and our world is a universal obligation of fundamental moral importance. Courageous and thoughtful, Wendy Wood, PhD and Thaïs Mazur, PhD have written a practical guide for responding purposefully and with compassion to the threats the world now faces at home and abroad. This book helps the reader build skills to stay balanced, respond with clarity, and commit to actions which are equitable and just without domination and divisiveness, and actions that do not cause harm for ourselves and our planet. In these times, when countries are moving toward isolationism, deep cultural and social divides, and with the results of the 2016 election in the United States, people are asking the question, "What can we do?" This book helps answer these questions, giving readers the tools and confidence to become more effectively involved in ways which benefit the common good. What We Must Do is a useable guide book that connects the reader to the qualities of mindful engagement-- authenticity, mindfulness, skillful communication, compassion, and love--qualities the authors have found to be useful while navigating these challenging, if not daunting times and circumstances. The book contains an active and dynamic set of practices. There are two sections in this book. The first section is a call to action, stressing the vital importance of having the tools to respond in ways that are just and humane. The second section presents the qualities of Authenticity, Communication, Mindfulness, Compassion, and Love. Contemplations, Inquiries, and Actions help ground the practice of each quality. The Contemplations guide intentions and thinking related to the qualities with considered and focused attention. Inquiries support exploration of thoughts, beliefs, and values related to each quality. And Actions invite responses, reflections, and applications and integration of the qualities into daily life.

A Guide for Perilous Times

What We Must Do

Traditional Scottish Tales and Legends

The Silver Chanter

The Autobiography of a Patriot

Yours Sincerely for Scotland

We spend a shocking 43% of our day doing things without thinking about them. Wendy Wood offers the key to unlocking our habitual mind in order to make the changes we seek. Good Habits, Bad Habits is a comprehensive, accessible, and above all deeply practical book.

Wendy Wood

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