Top Ten Books like The Power of Habit

If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering why you procrastinate that gym session or why your life seems to be a never-ending loop of reaching for the same snacks during Netflix binges, ‘The Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg is here to shed some light on your mystery. Duhigg breaks down the science behind why we do what we do and, more importantly, how we can hack our routines for the better. From personal habits to corporate strategies, this book shows us that small shifts in behaviour can lead to big changes – whether that’s building a billion-dollar business or just finally keeping that New Year’s resolution beyond February.

But if you’re hungry for more wisdom on why humans are so predictably unpredictable, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Below is a list of 10 other books, each diving deep into how our minds work, why we make the decisions we do, and how we can (hopefully) make better ones. From human evolution to the art of self-control, these readings are sure to make you laugh, learn, and maybe even re-evaluate your life choices along the way. So, grab a coffee (or a kale smoothie if that’s more your vibe, but damn brother a little sugar won’t hurt anyone), and let’s dive in.

Contents

1 ‘Stumbling on Happiness’ by Daniel Gilbert (2006):
2 ‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ by Yuval Noah Harari (2011):
3 Sapiens
4 ‘The Organised Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload’ by Daniel Levitin (2014):
5 ‘The Lean Startup’ by Eric Ries (2011):
6 The Lean Startup
7 ‘The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger’ by Marc Levinson (2006):
8 ‘The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon’ by Brad Stone (2013):
9 ‘Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup’ by John Carreyrou (2018):
10 Bad Blood
11 ‘The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control’ by Walter Mischel (2014):
12 ‘The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results’ by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (2013):
13 ‘Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst’ by Robert Sapolsky (2017):
14 The Power of Habit

‘Stumbling on Happiness’ by Daniel Gilbert (2006):

Think you know what’ll make you happy? Think again. Daniel Gilbert humorously unpacks why our brains are so bad at predicting what will bring us joy. Spoiler: It’s rarely what we think. Using psychology and neuroscience, Gilbert takes us on a journey through the pitfalls of our mental wiring and offers a little hope for finding true happiness (just maybe not in that shiny new gadget you’ve been eyeing).

‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ by Yuval Noah Harari (2011):

In ‘Sapiens’, Harari covers roughly 200,000 years of human history in a way that’s both mind-blowing and strangely relatable. From our hunter-gatherer days to our obsession with stock markets and social media, he explores how we’ve evolved and why we do the bizarre things we do. It’s like having a conversation with your super smart (but never boring) history teacher – I will never stop loving this book.

‘The Organised Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload’ by Daniel Levitin (2014):

If your brain feels like a cluttered desk full of Post-it notes and emails, Daniel Levitin gets you. In ‘The Organised Mind’, he shows how we can declutter our minds and lives to become more efficient and less stressed. Packed with tips from neuroscience, it’s like a Marie Kondo session for your brain. You’ll feel like you can finally stop losing your keys… probably.

‘The Lean Startup’ by Eric Ries (2011):

Ever thought about starting a business but worried about failure? Eric Ries says, “fail fast, learn faster.” In ‘The Lean Startup’, he shows how today’s entrepreneurs are building successful businesses by embracing constant innovation and learning from mistakes, instead of spending years on perfecting an idea that may flop. If you’ve got a side hustle idea brewing, this one’s a game-changer.

‘The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger’ by Marc Levinson (2006):

This might sound like a book about… boxes. But trust me, ‘The Box’ is a thrilling tale of how the humble shipping container revolutionised the world economy. Who knew something so simple could create a global trade boom? If you ever wanted to geek out on logistics (and impress friends with some niche trivia), this book’s for you.

‘The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon’ by Brad Stone (2013):

Love it or hate it, Amazon has changed the way we shop forever. Brad Stone dives into Jeff Bezos’s brain to unravel how one guy with a big dream and relentless drive built one of the biggest companies on the planet, which is amazing even if you despise Mr. Bezos. ‘The Everything Store’ is packed with fascinating stories of innovation, ambition, and a few questionable business practices along the way.

‘Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup’ by John Carreyrou (2018):

You’d think the story of a Silicon Valley unicorn would be inspiring, but ‘Bad Blood’ is a dark, thrilling ride through deception, lies, and biotech gone wrong. John Carreyrou uncovers the jaw-dropping saga of Theranos and its founder Elizabeth Holmes, who promised to change healthcare but ended up in a courtroom instead. If you love scandals, this is your next page-turner.

‘The Marshmallow Test: Mastering Self-Control’ by Walter Mischel (2014):

Remember that test where kids were left alone with a marshmallow and promised more if they didn’t eat it? Well, it turns out those kids are now adults who are pretty good at life. Walter Mischel digs into how self-control shapes our success and happiness, with plenty of tips on how we can all get better at delaying gratification – whether it’s skipping dessert or resisting the latest iPhone.

‘The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results’ by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (2013):

Overwhelmed by your to-do list? Gary Keller and Jay Papasan argue that you should just focus on ‘one’ thing. It turns out, success doesn’t come from juggling a hundred tasks but from zeroing in on what matters most. It’s a refreshing, no-nonsense approach to productivity that might just change how you work forever.

‘Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst’ by Robert Sapolsky (2017):

Ever wondered why we act the way we do? Robert Sapolsky dives deep into the biology of human behaviour, from our neurons to our hormones, to explain why we sometimes behave like saints and other times… not so much. Equal parts biology lesson and behavioural deep-dive, ‘Behave’ will have you rethinking everything from morality to that awkward thing you said at a party last week – which most people actually do a lot but this changes your perspective, alright?

And that concludes this list. So, what have we learned? Well, it turns out that happiness isn’t as straightforward as we thought, self-control is key (who knew that marshmallows could teach us so much?), and yes, even a humble shipping container can change the world. This list is full of books that will make you laugh, think, and maybe even question your life choices in the best way possible.

Ready to dive in? With Wizdom, you can easily access summaries and key takeaways from these books and more, saving you time while still getting all the juicy insights. Whether you want to become more productive, understand human nature, or simply impress your friends with random facts about shipping containers, Wizdom has got your back. Happy reading!