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Better Than Before

How to Make and Break Habits - and Build a Happier Life

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About this listen

***NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER***

The author of The Happiness Project and "a force for real change" (Brené Brown) examines how changing our habits can change our lives.

"A LOT OF US WOULD LIKE A RUBIN IN OUR LIVES" The Times
"FASCINATING, PERSUASIVE" Guardian

Most of us have a habit we'd like to change, and there's no shortage of expert advice. But as we all know from tough experience, no magic, one-size-fits-all solution exists. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives.

In Better Than Before, acclaimed writer Gretchen Rubin identifies every approach that actually works. She presents a practical, concrete framework to allow listeners to understand their habits - and to change them for good.

Infused with Rubin's compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humour, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better Than Before explains the (sometimes counterintuitive) core principles of habit formation and answers the most perplexing questions about habits:

* Why do we find it tough to create a habit for something we love to do?
* How can we keep our healthy habits when we're surrounded by temptations?
* How can we help someone else change a habit?

Rubin reveals the true secret to habit change: first, we must know ourselves. When we shape our habits to suit ourselves, we can find success - even if we've failed before.

Whether you want to eat more healthfully, stop checking devices, or finish a project, the invaluable ideas in Better Than Before will start you working on your own habits - even before you've finished the book.

©2015 Gretchen Rubin (P)2015 John Murray Press
Career Success Motivation & Self-Improvement Personal Development Personal Success Happiness Habits Inspiring

Critic reviews

"Do you have a bad habit you're trying to shake, or a good one you wish you could cultivate? Gretchen Rubin is one of the most charming and erudite authors of her generation. Here, she uses her gifts to help you eat right, sleep well, stop procrastinating and start enjoying all that life has to offer." (Susan Cain, best-selling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking)

"Filled with insights about our patterns of behavior, Better Than Before addresses one of life's big and timeless questions: How can we transform ourselves? In a way that's thought-provoking, surprising and often funny, Gretchen Rubin provides us with the tools to build a life that truly reflects our goals and values." (Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post and best-selling author of Thrive)

"Gretchen Rubin combines deep research and observations from her own life to explain how habits emerge and - more important - how they can change. It's indispensable for anyone hoping to overhaul how they (almost unthinkingly) behave." (Charles Duhigg, bestselling author of The Power of Habit)

"Gretchen Rubin is a writer after my own heart - seriously brilliant, very warm, and funny. I think she's amazing." (Anne Lamott)
All stars
Most relevant
I like the author. I think she has some great insights. However, I find some of her advice she gives needs a caveat of "in my experience" or "in my opinion". What works for one, won't automatically work for another. I suppose that may be a factor of her personality type though. I liked this book well enough and I like how Gretchen Ruben writes and speaks, but mark it down for these aspects I find could be opinions over facts.

Some dodgy advice

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I've read several books on habits and even though I loved them all this one is by far the best out of all. It has so many practical methods to establish new habits that you can apply straight away. It's important to make notes while you're listening because there's just so much knowledge in there. I already started using methods in this book while listening and so far they work a treat! Highly recommended.

The best book on habits!

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I enjoyed the first book, however this is more of the same, less objective delivered with a big dollop of smugness. Disappointed.

Rehash of First Book

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I loved this book. For years I couldn't figure out why I cannot have one small piece of chocolate, why it is easier for me to abstain from sugar altogether and why external accountability works so well for me. It was a relief to figure all of this out and actually use it to my benefit rather than feeling weird about the way I am. Really grateful to Gretchen. By the way, I've used her one sentence diary for 3 years now and keep going. It is a strong habit now - to write down what happened during the day, in one sentence. Well, maybe 2 or 3 short ones. :)

Game changer!

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I absolutely loved this book. I had bought it a while ago but hadn't got round to reading it. I wish I'd picked it up sooner. Made me completely rethink how to approach things in the future and I would actually like to read this book again, something I have never done before.

Brilliant!

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