How to Change
Katy Milkman, a Wharton professor of behavioral economics, lays out a research-backed playbook for the gap between intention and action. Each chapter names a common obstacle, such as impulsivity, forgetfulness, laziness, or confidence, and pairs it with field-tested tactics like temptation bundling, commitment devices, and fresh-start planning, drawn from her own experiments and Nobel-winning peers. Written in plain, pragmatic prose, the book reads as a toolkit for anyone designing new habits in their own life or trying to help others change theirs.
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A Wharton behavioral scientist lays out a chapter-by-chapter toolkit for changing habits, drawing on her own studies of fresh starts, gym attendance, and the small design tweaks that nudge people through.
How to Change was written by Katy Milkman and published in 2021. Milkman is a Wharton behavioral economist and host of the Choiceology podcast.
Katy Milkman is an accomplished academic researcher and the book draws on peer-reviewed studies in behavioral economics and psychology. It is more rigorous than typical self-help, though still aimed at general readers.
How to Change is 272 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, How to Change takes most readers 4 to 6 hours to finish.
How to Change is a standalone novel by Katy Milkman, not part of a series.
How to Change is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
