Stick with It: The Science of Lasting Behaviour

Learn how to make real, lasting changes in your life

We all have bad habits - whether it''s a weakness for junk food, a smartphone addiction or a lack of exercise. But change is hard. Forty percent of dieters quit within a week. Eighty percent of New Year''s resolutions don''t last beyond January. How can we kick bad habits - and stick with it?

According to psychologist and behaviour researcher Dr Sean Young, the answer is to stop trying to change the person, and instead change the process. In Stick With It, Dr Young draws on his own research and that of other leading experts to explain how the mind often interferes with breaking bad habits, and how we can outsmart it, increasing the likelihood of lasting change by 200%.

Packed with practical exercises and real-life case studies, Stick With It shows that it is possible to control spending, stick to a diet, exercise regularly and overcome problem behaviours - forever.

''Scientifically grounded and personally implementable. It''s a winner'' - Robert Cialdini, author of Influence and Pre-Suasion

''A must-read for anyone who''s been unable to keep a New Year''s resolution or failed at making a lasting change in any other area of their life or work. - Jonah Berger, author of Contagious

Dr Sean Young is one of the world''s leading experts in the field of habit-forming. He is an acclaiedpsychologist and the founder and Executive Director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior. His research involves the study of cutting-edge ways of using social media and mobile technologies to change and predict human behaviour.

Whether it’s absentminded mistakes at work, a weakness for junk food, a smartphone addiction, or a lack of exercise, everyone has a bad habit or behavior that they’d like to change. But wanting to change and actually doing it—sticking with it to make that change permanent—are two very different things. 

Dr. Sean Young, an authoritative new voice in the field of behavioral science and the director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior and the UC Institute for Prediction Technology, knows a great deal about our behavior and how we can change it—for the better. Stick with It is his fascinating look at the science of lasting behavior, filled with crucial knowledge and practical advice to help everyone successfully alter their actions and improve their lives. As Dr. Young explains, much of what we’ve been taught about behavior change is wrong; contrary to popular belief, you don’t change behavior by changing the person or their personality—you do it by changing the process. Drawing on his own scientific research with patients and research participants, along with research from other leading experts in the field, he identifies the seven crucial forces that combine to make lasting personal transformation, including

· Stepladders: how the power of incremental steps creates long-term change.

· Community: how social support and competition fuel change and keep us accountable. 

· Neurohacks: how a set of mental shortcuts can reset the brain so that people can finally change old unwanted behaviors. 

· Engraining Good Habits: how success in life and work depends on developing the right behavioral routines. 

Packed with pragmatic approaches and stories of real people who have used them successfully, Stick with It shows that it is possible to control spending, stick to a healthy diet, become more social, exercise regularly, stop compulsively checking email, and overcome problem behaviors—forever.