Gretchen Rubin

So somebody would say, like, oh, I'm exhausted all the time. But really to me that sounded like, you're not going to bed early enough. Like, why aren't you able to form the habit of turning the light out at 11 instead of at 2 a.m.? What's going on with your habits?

And often people would talk about a habit that they knew that if they made it or broke it would make them happier, but somehow they just weren't able to translate that into action. And then I had a lunch with a friend who made this casual comment that got me obsessed with habits. And she said the thing is I would be happier if I exercised. And when I was in high school, I was in the track team.

And often people would talk about a habit that they knew that if they made it or broke it would make them happier, but somehow they just weren't able to translate that into action. And then I had a lunch with a friend who made this casual comment that got me obsessed with habits. And she said the thing is I would be happier if I exercised. And when I was in high school, I was in the track team.

And I never missed track practice. But I can't go running now. Why? This just floored me. I was like, what is it? It's the same behavior. It's the same person. What's different? What meant that at one point to have it was effortless and now she can't do it. Try as she might. And so then I was like, okay, that's it. My next book, Habits.

And I never missed track practice. But I can't go running now. Why? This just floored me. I was like, what is it? It's the same behavior. It's the same person. What's different? What meant that at one point to have it was effortless and now she can't do it. Try as she might. And so then I was like, okay, that's it. My next book, Habits.

I think that so many people say start small, or do it for 30 days, or have a cheat day, or do it first thing in the morning. And all those strategies work well for some people, sometimes, but they don't work for everybody all the time where we would all have perfect habits. And I think really what I found when I really delved into this is that There is no magic one.

I think that so many people say start small, or do it for 30 days, or have a cheat day, or do it first thing in the morning. And all those strategies work well for some people, sometimes, but they don't work for everybody all the time where we would all have perfect habits. And I think really what I found when I really delved into this is that There is no magic one.

And what we really need to do is to think about ourselves, understand ourselves, the significant elements of our behavior, and then shape our habits to suit us. Sometimes people are like, well, this is what Steve Jobs did, so this is what I'm going to do. Well, that doesn't tell you anything about yourself.

And what we really need to do is to think about ourselves, understand ourselves, the significant elements of our behavior, and then shape our habits to suit us. Sometimes people are like, well, this is what Steve Jobs did, so this is what I'm going to do. Well, that doesn't tell you anything about yourself.

I mean, maybe it'll give you some interesting ideas, but it doesn't mean it's going to work for you. And I think a lot of times people get discouraged because they try and fail to form a habit over and over. But in fact, they haven't set it up in a way that's right for them. And so that's why they're not succeeding.

I mean, maybe it'll give you some interesting ideas, but it doesn't mean it's going to work for you. And I think a lot of times people get discouraged because they try and fail to form a habit over and over. But in fact, they haven't set it up in a way that's right for them. And so that's why they're not succeeding.

But if they took a different approach, they might very well have a different outcome. And so in Better Than Before, what I'm trying to do is talk about, well, how do we understand ourselves as it comes to kind of our habit nature? What should we understand about ourselves? And then how might we put that into practice to shape our habits and suit ourselves?

But if they took a different approach, they might very well have a different outcome. And so in Better Than Before, what I'm trying to do is talk about, well, how do we understand ourselves as it comes to kind of our habit nature? What should we understand about ourselves? And then how might we put that into practice to shape our habits and suit ourselves?

Some people drink a lot of coffee and some people drink a lot of booze and some people stay up late and some people get up early and some people... Work steadily and some people work all at the end and some people work a lot every day and some people work just a little bit every day.

Some people drink a lot of coffee and some people drink a lot of booze and some people stay up late and some people get up early and some people... Work steadily and some people work all at the end and some people work a lot every day and some people work just a little bit every day.

I mean, what you see is that the people who are happier, healthier and most productive are the people who have figured out themselves and they've set up their lives to suit them. If they are morning people, they do their most important work in the morning. But if they're night people, that's not how they go about it.

I mean, what you see is that the people who are happier, healthier and most productive are the people who have figured out themselves and they've set up their lives to suit them. If they are morning people, they do their most important work in the morning. But if they're night people, that's not how they go about it.

You know, it's all about fitting your circumstances to what's going to allow you to succeed, figuring out what is the combination to that combination lock. But a lot of it is just how you're hardwired. So everybody might say to you like, oh, you should get up early and work on your PhD thesis. But if you're a night person, getting up early is not going to work for you.

You know, it's all about fitting your circumstances to what's going to allow you to succeed, figuring out what is the combination to that combination lock. But a lot of it is just how you're hardwired. So everybody might say to you like, oh, you should get up early and work on your PhD thesis. But if you're a night person, getting up early is not going to work for you.

It might make sense on paper, but it's not going to work for you. Yeah.