Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits–to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life

It is not easy to start and stick to any new habit. Whether you want to quit bad practices, start new activities, or simply live a more fulfilled life, going from desiring to doing can be hard work. In her book, Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits–to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life, Gretchen Rubin offers an invaluable guide on how to identify your habits, figure out which ones to change, and and build habits that are right for you.

First off, Rubin helps users understand their personality and reactions to change. To create your own path to change and remodel your habits to better serve you, Rubin suggests figuring out which of the four tendencies you belong to. Everyone fits under one tidy category and this will be the fundamental step in creating your roadmap.

The four tendencies are: Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, and Rebel. Understanding which tendency you belong to will clear the fog around what motivates and de-motivates each person. An Upholder is motivated by external expectations and cues; a Questioner is motivated by those that make logical sense; an Obliger is motivated by external accountability; and finally, a Rebel is motivated by self-imposed rules. Rubin's pinpoint definition of these four makes it easy for users to identify themselves. Once you know where you fall, Rubin suggests methods for effective habit-discarding, like replacing bad habits with good ones, and coming up with a plan of actions that will be catered to your tendencies.

The key focus of Better Than Before is the concept of habit loops. Habits are made up of triggers, behaviors, and rewards. Children need clear habits to provide them with structure and safety, and adults should be no different. Rubin explains that triggers get the habit into action, behaviors are the primary action, and rewards are the motivation. She helps readers understand their habits more holistically and digs into each section, offering tools to create and change habits easier.

For those of us who struggle in one area or another, Rubin offers insight on how to swear off bad habits. Every journey starts with being honest about where each of us stands and how to move forward from here. She highlights the importance of knowing which habits to maintain, and which to discard. Rubin explains that changing habits requires energy, but with her explanation of habit loops and her recognition of the 4 tendencies, readers will gain a clearer understanding of their own habits and learn how to navigate changes.

At the end of the day, habits are important and as Rubin explains in her book, Better Than Before, having the right habits can improve your life and make you happier. You don't have to tell yourself what to do, you can use Rubin's techniques to get into the knowledge of why you do the habits you do and work according to those motivations. Use her crafted understanding to break through excuses, discover effective triggers that can maintain your new habits, and embracing change to avoid stagnation.

Once you finish Better Than Before, you will have gained an understanding about how to make and break habits for a happier life. Gretchen Rubin reveals useful and pragmatic ways to re-frame your life through her in-depth description of the four tendencies and habits loops. As she presents in her book, Knowing and controlling your habits can bring about a transformative life and has the ability to turn one's world upside down in the most positive way.