Changepower!

Meg Selig's 37 Secrets to Habit Change Success offers a structured route to altering nearly any habit. Readers can work on dropping a damaging routine, such as smoking or overeating, or on forming a constructive one, such as regular exercise or voicing their opinions more openly. Selig argues that willpower alone often falls short and proposes changepower instead: a combination of personal willpower, other available resources, supportive people, and well-chosen tactics.

Motivation is central to the method. The book examines the pain that can drive a person to act, the Eight Great Motivators, and a set of less admirable motives that can still push someone forward. Selig also draws on research showing that lasting change tends to unfold in phases instead of happening all at once. For each phase she lays out a plan of actions, while leaving room to adjust the approach to the individual.

Throughout, the author mixes first-person accounts, memorable quotations, and practical exercises. The tone is encouraging and often lighthearted, making the book a companion for anyone starting their own habit change.