Lessons from Katy Milkman

Renowned behavioral scientist and Wharton School professor Katy Milkman has dedicated her career to understanding the science of change. Through her bestselling book "How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be," her popular "Choiceology" podcast, and extensive research, Milkman has provided a wealth of actionable insights into how we can overcome common barriers to achieving our goals.

On the Nature of Change and Willpower

"We all struggle to line up what we do with what we want." [1][2] This fundamental observation highlights the common gap between our intentions and our actions.
"Research has proven time and again that rather than relying on willpower to resist temptation, we're better off figuring out how to make good behaviors more gratifying in the short-term." [1][2] Milkman emphasizes that long-term rewards are often not enough to keep us motivated.
"You'll learn that making hard things seem fun is a much better strategy than making hard things seem important." [1][2] This highlights the power of immediate rewards and enjoyment in driving behavior.
"We think “future me” will be able to make good choices, but too often “present me” succumbs to temptation." [1][3] This describes the common cognitive bias where we are overly optimistic about our future self-control.
"Change is inherently difficult due to our evolutionary wiring and psychological barriers." [4] Our brains are often wired for immediate gratification, a trait that helped our ancestors survive but can hinder modern goal achievement. [4]
"Any change feels like a loss, and 'losses tend to loom larger than gains,' making us avoid changes that feel psychologically costly." [4] This explains our natural resistance to stepping out of our comfort zones.
"Habits create a path of least resistance, and deviating from this path requires significant effort and motivation." [4] Understanding the power of habit is the first step to changing it.
"The work we do to facilitate behavior change often has enduring positive benefits. But if and when our efforts stop, we should expect to see ourselves and others begin to relapse." [5] This underscores the need for continuous effort and strategy in maintaining change.
"It's inevitable that we slip up in the course of trying to achieve anything worth achieving. We need to understand better how to deal with that falling off the wagon phenomenon." [6] Milkman stresses the importance of having a plan for when we inevitably falter.
"Willpower typically fades in people as a day becomes longer and harder." [7] This practical observation suggests timing our most challenging tasks for when our willpower is at its peak.

Strategies for Effective Behavior Change

"When policy makers, organizations, or scientists applied a one-size-fits-all strategy to change behavior, the results were mixed. But when they began by asking what stood in the way of progress...and then developed targeted strategies to change behavior, the results were far better." [1][2] A customized approach to change is far more effective than a generic one.
"An engineer can't design a successful structure without first carefully accounting for the forces of opposition...So engineers always attempt to solve problems by first identifying the obstacles to success. Now, studying behavior change, I began to understand the power and promise of applying this same strategy." [8] This analogy from engineering highlights her core methodology for tackling behavior change.
"If you want to change your behavior or someone else's, you're at a huge advantage if you begin with a blank slate—a fresh start—and no old habits working against you." [1][8] This introduces the powerful concept of the "fresh start effect."
"At the start of a new year, there's this huge uptick in goal pursuit...the reset of the calendar provides a psychological clean slate." [4] However, Milkman notes that many other moments can serve as fresh starts.
"We've found that people set more goals at the start of a new week, month, or following holidays that feel like fresh starts." [4] These smaller, more frequent fresh starts can be powerful motivators.
"Temptation bundling entails allowing yourself to engage in a guilty pleasure (such as binge-watching TV) only when pursuing a virtuous or valuable activity that you tend to dread (such as exercise)." [8] This strategy makes difficult tasks more appealing by pairing them with something enjoyable.
To conquer procrastination, use commitment devices to restrict your freedom and force yourself to do what's needed to reach your goal." [9] Examples include putting yourself on a casino's exclusion list or using a "locked" savings account. [9]
"Many of us choose not to adopt commitment devices because we undervalue them or are naïve about how much we need them, not because we don't need them or are unwilling to risk the penalty." [1][8] We often overestimate our own self-control.
"When we are encouraged to pursue our goals in ways that are more fun, we actually see greater results." [4] This reinforces the idea of making the process of change enjoyable.
"Giving advice improves your own outcomes...as it enhances confidence and motivation." [4] The act of advising others can reinforce our own knowledge and commitment.
"It's important for goals to be measurable and achievable, although they should be a stretch." [10] Vague goals like "exercise more" are difficult to track and achieve. [10]
"It's also important to have a plan of, sort of, when will I do it, where will I do it, how will I get there. These are called 'implementation intentions.'" [10] A clear plan turns intentions into actions.
"Use an 'anchor' to remind us to begin the habit." [7] Anchors, like brushing your teeth, can trigger a new habit you want to form. [7]
"Avoid setting too many goals or making too many changes at once. Keep it Simple, Smarty!" [7] Focusing on a few key changes increases the likelihood of success.
"Use checklists as a reminder. This is a great tip if you have multiple changes you are making at once." [7] Checklists can help combat forgetfulness.
"Anticipate that you will come up with excuses for why you aren't following through with your goals." [7] Proactively planning for these moments of weakness can help you overcome them.
"Allow some flexibility with a new habit. Don't get so rigid with the timing or follow-through that you allow yourself to fail too easily." [7] A little flexibility can prevent a minor slip-up from becoming a complete failure.
"Track habits and seek to maintain a streak." [7] The desire to not "break the chain" can be a powerful motivator.
"Anticipating and planning for obstacles can sometimes be more powerful than adopting a positive mindset." [11] This concept of "negative thinking" can help counteract over-optimism. [11]
"We're wired to interpret our challenges as bigger than our advantages, even if the reality is more balanced." [12] This insight from her "Choiceology" podcast highlights a common cognitive bias.

"It's a normal human behavior to be influenced by peer pressure and social pressures." [9] This can be a double-edged sword, either holding us back or pushing us forward.
"You can turn this tendency to your advantage by surrounding yourself with the right people, and applying effective social influence strategies to nudge yourself and others in the right direction." [9] The people we surround ourselves with have a significant impact on our behavior.
"Absolutely social accountability and visibility and camaraderie are really important." [10] Sharing your goals with others can increase your chances of success.
"Managers can and should help employees avoid common mistakes by 'nudging' them toward objectively better choices." [5] Simple changes in the environment, like placing healthy foods at eye level, can have a big impact. [5]
"Defaults are important, as many people will not bother to change them!" [7] Setting beneficial defaults can leverage our natural laziness for good.

On Learning and Personal Growth

"The key lesson of my career studying behavior change was that the flashy shots, the big shiny goal, or one-size-fits-all thing we reach for—that's not how you achieve it. It's the smart, strategic, who's your opponent, who are you up against, let's tailor the strategy approach that really works." [6] This summarizes her core philosophy on achieving lasting change.
"I like to remind cynics that if you flip the discouraging statistics about New Year's resolutions on their head, you'll see that 20 percent of the goals set each January succeed. That's a lot of people who've changed their lives for the better simply because they resolved to try in the first place." [1][8] A more optimistic perspective on the potential for change.
"According to one recent study, the average adult forgets three things each day, ranging from pin numbers to chores to wedding anniversaries. We're so forgetful, in part, because it's difficult for information to stick in our brains, especially if we've only thought about it once or twice." [1][8] This highlights the challenge of memory in behavior change.
"There's an overemphasis on big goals. It's not that goals aren't useful..." [6] but the focus should be on the process, not just the outcome.
"You need to believe it's possible to even take the leap." [6] Self-efficacy is a crucial first step in any change journey.
"I'd start by saying a really thick skin and optimistic outlook are a must. There is a lot of criticism, rejection and disappointment involved in doing research. Your prized hypotheses often turn out to be wrong." [13] A personal reflection on the realities of being a behavioral scientist.
"We think about our lives like we are characters in a book...and those chapter breaks...give us a sense...of a new beginning." [14] This explains the psychological mechanism behind the "fresh start effect."
"Once we understand that part of why we don't pursue our goals and get chores done is because they aren't enjoyable enough and that we can engineer solutions to this by linking temptations, it opens up a whole host of possible ways to be more effective." [4] This highlights the practical application of temptation bundling.
"The way we separate life's highs and lows can influence our happiness." [12] An insight from her "Choiceology" podcast on the psychology of happiness.
"Tiny gaps near round numbers alter how we perceive value." [12] This refers to the "left-digit bias," where $4.99 feels significantly cheaper than $5.00. [15]
"The ultimate guide to overcoming your worst instincts and becoming your best self." [16] A description of the goal of her work and book.
"By diagnosing the internal obstacles you face and consistently using solutions customized to help you succeed, evidence and experience show that you really can get from where you are to where you want to be." [5] A powerful statement of her belief in the potential for change.
"A healthy lifestyle is not illusive; this book is a 'must read' to understand the path to create lasting change." [16] Emphasizing that with the right strategies, a healthier life is attainable.
"An extraordinary roadmap for overcoming the greatest challenge of all – becoming who we believe we should be." [16] A description of the transformative potential of understanding behavior change.
"If you want to master tailored, science-based strategies for overcoming obstacles, read this engaging book." [16] A direct call to action for those serious about making a change.

Sources:

"How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be" by Katy Milkman: Many of the quotes and learnings are directly from or are summaries of the concepts in her book. You can find it on Goodreads [1][8] and through various book summaries. [9][17]
"Choiceology" Podcast: Hosted by Katy Milkman, this podcast explores the psychology and economics behind our decisions. [11][12]
Interviews and Articles: Insights from various interviews with Katy Milkman in publications like Thrive Global [4], Behavioral Scientist [6], and podcasts like Behavioral Grooves. [18]
Katy Milkman's Website: Her official website provides information about her book, podcast, and research. [12][16]

Learn more:

Lessons from Katy Milkman

On the Nature of Change and Willpower

Strategies for Effective Behavior Change

On Learning and Personal Growth

Written by Antoine Buteau

Lessons from Michael Heppell

Lessons from Carmine Gallo

Lessons from Katy Milkman

On the Nature of Change and Willpower

Strategies for Effective Behavior Change

On Social Influence and Environment

On Learning and Personal Growth

Written by Antoine Buteau

Lessons from Michael Heppell

Lessons from Carmine Gallo