Dr. Seán Lally Ph.D. – The Study Coach.

Introduction

“Smarter Faster Better” is an insightful book authored by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg.

The book explores eight principles of productivity that allow successful people and companies to accomplish more with less effort.

These principles are motivation, teams, focus, goal setting, managing others, decision making, innovation, and absorbing data.

Let’s have a look at each of these 8 areas now, with a “how do I apply this to my learning journey” section at the end of each principle.

1. Motivation

Duhigg delves into the psychology of self-motivation and proposes that the key to continual drive lies in making choices that put us in control. When we feel a sense of control over our world, we’re more likely to stay motivated.

Duhigg uses the example of the military to demonstrate the importance of self-motivation. The Marine Corps revamped its boot camp to foster an internal drive in its recruits. By giving recruits tasks that required them to make self-directed decisions, they were able to turn even the most passive individuals into self-starters.

One of the core concepts Duhigg discusses is “locus of control.” This is a psychological concept that refers to how much individuals believe they can control events affecting them. Having an internal locus of control – where you feel that you have influence over events and their outcomes – is linked to higher levels of motivation.

Duhigg highlights the idea that motivation is triggered by making choices that demonstrate to ourselves that we are in control. The specific choice we make is less important than the assertion of control. It’s this feeling of self-determination that gets us going.

A quote from Duhigg that encapsulates this is, “Motivation is more like a skill, akin to reading or writing, that can be learned and honed.” He suggests that we can cultivate motivation by making choices and seeing the results, thereby reinforcing the idea that we have control over our lives.

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

When it comes to learning, feeling in control can significantly improve motivation. For example, choosing where and when you study can help you feel more in control. Similarly, selecting which homework assignment to start with, or deciding to review a concept before a test, can enhance your motivation because these are choices that demonstrate control.

Remember, the more you can connect your tasks to your personal goals and interests, the more motivated you’ll become. If you are studying a subject that doesn’t naturally interest you, try to find an aspect of it that you can connect with your life or your curiosities.

Every task or subject you work on in school is a step towards a larger goal. Keeping this perspective can help maintain motivation, even when the work gets tough. As Duhigg emphasizes, motivation is a skill that can be learned and honed, so keep practicing!

2. Teams

In his exploration of productive teams, Duhigg discusses the concept of psychological safety, a term coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson. Psychological safety refers to a shared belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. In other words, it’s an environment where team members feel accepted and respected.

Duhigg uses the case study of Google’s Project Aristotle to further illustrate this point. Google, a company renowned for data analysis, turned its analytical prowess onto its own employees in an effort to discover the key to building the perfect team. After extensive research, the surprising finding was that who is on the team matters less than how the team members interact, structure their work, and view their contributions. The best teams were those where all the members felt they could speak up and contribute, a concept known as “equality in conversational turn-taking.”

A direct quote from the book that illuminates this idea is: “On the good teams, members spoke in roughly the same proportion, a phenomenon the researchers referred to as ‘equality in distribution of conversational turn-taking.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

When it comes to working in teams, whether it’s for a school project, a study group, or a sports team, try to foster an environment where everyone feels heard and respected. This doesn’t mean everyone needs to speak the same amount, but rather everyone should feel comfortable voicing their thoughts and ideas.

Teachers and parents can facilitate this by encouraging quieter students to share their thoughts and by creating a safe environment for expressing different ideas. It’s also essential to establish that everyone’s contribution is valued.

On the part of students, practicing active listening when your teammates are speaking and appreciating their inputs can contribute significantly to creating psychological safety within the team. This means not just hearing their words, but seeking to understand their ideas and perspectives, and responding in a way that acknowledges their contribution.

Building successful teams with psychological safety can lead not just to a better learning experience, but also to valuable life skills such as collaboration, empathy, and communication. Remember, the power of a team comes from its collective effort and mutual respect.

3. Focus

In a world where distractions are only a click away, focus has become a critical skill for success. Duhigg discusses the importance of managing your attention and staying focused on tasks at hand. He explains that our brains have two different kinds of focus: proactive and reactive. Proactive focus allows us to plan and control our attention, while reactive focus is our automatic response to distractions.

Duhigg argues that those who excel in focusing are not just good at deciding what to pay attention to, but also at ignoring distractions. One of the strategies he mentions for maintaining focus is building mental models. This involves visualizing, in detail, the tasks you have planned or envisioning various scenarios. By constructing these mental models, we can predict potential issues and plan our actions accordingly.

Duhigg illustrates this with a gripping account of a plane crash and how the pilots’ use of mental models played a significant role in the outcome. In his words, “The pilots who succeeded had a habit of envisioning themselves failing… they would visualize themselves screwing up.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

Building mental models can be an excellent tool for enhancing your focus during your studies. This can be done by visualizing how your study session will proceed, what you plan to achieve, and how you will overcome potential distractions or difficulties. If you’re studying for a test, imagine how the test day will go, what types of questions might be asked, and how you would answer them.

Moreover, understanding the difference between proactive and reactive focus can help you better manage your attention. When studying, make an effort to engage your proactive focus: decide what you need to concentrate on and make a plan. If you find your attention wavering, that’s your reactive focus responding to distractions. Acknowledge it, but gently bring your attention back to your task.

Teachers and parents can also guide students in this skill by helping them plan their study schedules, predict potential challenges, and strategize solutions.

Remember, focus is like a muscle that you can strengthen with practice. So keep building those mental models, envisioning your success, and working on maintaining your attention on the tasks at hand. As you develop your ability to focus, you’re likely to see improvements in your productivity and the quality of your work.

4. Goal Setting

Duhigg underscores the significance of setting both SMART goals and stretch goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, and they are used for short-term planning. These types of goals are action-oriented and defined in such a way that it’s clear when they are accomplished.

On the other hand, stretch goals are ambitious and challenge the status quo. They represent long-term visions and can push you to new heights. Duhigg explains that a combination of both types of goals can be the most effective. He highlights the importance of pairing a stretch goal with a specific plan on how to get there, which is where SMART goals come into play.

An enlightening quote from Duhigg that encapsulates this concept is: “A goal that pushes us can do more than simply help us tolerate difficult situations. Sometimes, it can change how we perceive the world.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

The first step in your learning journey is to set a stretch goal, a long-term vision of what you want to achieve. This could be something like “I want to top my class in mathematics by the end of the semester,” or “I want to write a novel before I graduate.”

Once you have your stretch goal in place, break it down into smaller, manageable SMART goals. These could include “I will spend an extra hour each day practicing math problems,” or “I will write at least 500 words every day after school.” These SMART goals are action-oriented and measurable, so you’ll know when you’ve achieved them.

For parents and teachers, you can guide students to form appropriate stretch and SMART goals. Monitor their progress and provide encouragement and feedback to help them stay on track. Remind them that these goals are not set in stone, and it’s okay to adjust them as needed.

Remember, the key to successful goal setting is to balance ambition with actionability. Your stretch goals push you to dream big, while your SMART goals guide your day-to-day actions towards achieving those dreams. By setting and working towards these goals, you can make your learning journey more focused, productive, and rewarding.

5. Managing Others

In the chapter about managing others, Duhigg uses a compelling case study to illustrate the best practices of leadership. He shares the story of the production issues surrounding the Disney movie “Frozen” and how effective management helped turn things around.

He discusses how good leaders create environments where everyone feels they have a voice and that their input matters. Effective managers encourage team members to take ownership of their work, allowing for creativity and innovation. A balance must be struck between maintaining a vision for the project and allowing enough flexibility for the team to contribute meaningfully.

Duhigg writes, “The most effective leaders… invite input from their team members and encourage everyone to play a role in shaping plans and decisions. They maintain an overarching vision but encourage their team to help chart the course.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

Managing others is a valuable skill not just in the workplace, but also in school and other aspects of life. Whether you are part of a group project, a school club, or a sports team, the principles of effective leadership apply.

For students, if you’re leading a group, remember to create an environment where everyone’s voice is heard. Encourage your teammates to share their ideas and take ownership of their tasks. Be clear about the group’s goal, but also be open to the ways the group members might contribute to reaching that goal.

For teachers and parents, you can help by guiding students in developing leadership skills. Provide opportunities for students to lead and manage, and encourage them to practice these skills. Give feedback and encouragement, and emphasize the importance of both having a clear goal and being open to input from the team.

Remember, good management is about balancing direction and flexibility. By fostering an inclusive, participative environment, you can harness the collective creativity of the group, leading to better outcomes and a richer learning experience.

6. Decision Making

In the chapter on decision making, Duhigg discusses how the most successful decisions aren’t based on immediate, emotional reactions, but on thoughtful deliberation and consideration of all available information.

He introduces the concept of probabilistic thinking, which involves estimating the likelihood of future events based on a range of possibilities and outcomes. This type of thinking requires considering all potential outcomes, not just the most optimistic or pessimistic scenarios.

Duhigg explains, “When we encounter new information, we should force ourselves to envision various futures and then estimate, as precisely as we can, the odds of each one occurring.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

As students, you often have to make decisions, such as what subjects to study, what extracurricular activities to participate in, or how to divide your time effectively. By applying probabilistic thinking, you can make better, more informed decisions.

For instance, if you’re deciding between studying for a test or practicing for a sports meet, consider all the possible outcomes. What’s the likelihood that you’ll perform poorly if you don’t study for the test? What are the consequences if you don’t practice for the sports meet?

For teachers and parents, you can guide students in making decisions by encouraging them to think probabilistically. Help them explore different scenarios and consider the likelihood and impact of each outcome.

Remember, the goal of decision-making is not to predict the future perfectly, but to prepare yourself for different possibilities, and make the best possible decision based on the information available.

7. Innovation

In the section about innovation, Duhigg emphasizes the importance of exploring different perspectives and pushing boundaries. He uses the production of the Broadway musical “West Side Story” to illustrate his point, explaining how breaking conventions can lead to unexpected and successful results.

He emphasizes the idea that innovation often comes from the intersection of ideas from different fields, saying “Innovation becomes more likely when old ideas are mixed in new ways.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

When it comes to learning, being open to new ideas and ways of thinking can spur innovation. Whether you’re working on a project, writing an essay, or solving a problem, try to think outside the box and explore different perspectives.

For teachers and parents, you can foster innovation in students by encouraging curiosity and creativity. Provide opportunities for students to explore different fields and ideas, and encourage them to connect and apply these in novel ways.

Remember, innovation isn’t just about creating something completely new; it often involves combining existing ideas in new and interesting ways. So keep exploring, learning, and thinking creatively, and you may find yourself coming up with truly innovative solutions and ideas.

8. Absorbing Data

In the age of information, being able to effectively absorb and interpret data is a vital skill. Duhigg discusses how data can be overwhelming, but the right approach can turn it into a valuable tool. The key, he posits, is to transform the data into a format that our brains can readily understand – often, this involves telling a story.

Duhigg illustrates this through the example of a school in Cincinnati that turned standardized testing data into narrative reports about each student. By translating raw data into a story, teachers were better able to understand the information and use it to improve their teaching.

He writes, “When you want to make data stickier, you need a story. Narratives are the key to making numbers impactful and memorable.”

How do I apply this to my learning journey?

As students, you often need to absorb a lot of information quickly, whether for an exam, a presentation, or a project. One way to do this more effectively is to create a narrative around the data. For instance, if you’re studying history, try to see the events as a story with interconnected parts rather than isolated facts.

For teachers and parents, you can assist students in this process by helping them find or create narratives in the subjects they are studying. Encourage students to ask questions like “Why did this happen?” or “What were the consequences?” to build a storyline around the information.

Remember, our brains are wired for stories. By transforming data and information into narratives, you can better understand and remember the material, making your study time more effective and enjoyable. This skill will not only aid in your current studies but will also be invaluable in many future endeavors.

Summary

“Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business” by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg is a profound exploration of the science of productivity. Through a compelling combination of storytelling and research, Duhigg breaks down the essential elements of productivity into eight key principles: motivation, teams, focus, goal setting, managing others, decision making, innovation, and absorbing data.

The book emphasizes the significance of making information actionable and turning knowledge into results. Duhigg notes, “Productivity is about making certain choices in certain ways. The way we choose to see ourselves and frame daily decisions; the stories we tell ourselves, and the easy goals we ignore; the sense of community we build among teammates; the creative cultures we establish as leaders. These are the things that separate the merely busy from the genuinely productive.”

What sets this book apart is its practical approach to complex ideas, providing readers with actionable insights to improve their lives. It not only presents ideas but also illustrates how to implement them, making it a valuable guide for students, parents, and teachers alike.

Compared to similar books in the productivity space, such as “Getting Things Done” by David Allen or “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy, “Smarter Faster Better” stands out with its strong narrative style and research-backed insights. While all these books offer valuable strategies for managing time and tasks more efficiently, Duhigg’s work goes beyond traditional productivity advice to examine the underlying psychological and cognitive mechanisms that drive successful behavior.

For instance, where “Getting Things Done” emphasizes a system for organizing tasks, Duhigg discusses how to inspire intrinsic motivation and cultivate a mental state of flow for optimum focus. And while “Eat That Frog” advises on prioritizing tasks, Duhigg delves deeper into goal setting, detailing the importance of combining ambitious stretch goals with SMART objectives for successful outcomes.

Overall, “Smarter Faster Better” provides a comprehensive roadmap to productivity, illuminating the path to being more efficient and effective in all aspects of life. By understanding and implementing Duhigg’s principles, readers can transform their learning journey and personal endeavors, making them not just more productive, but smarter, faster, and better.