
Smart Change
Five Tools to Create New and Sustainable Habits in Yourself and Others
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $25.78
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Sean Pratt
-
By:
-
Art Markman
About this listen
An insightful guide that shows how habits of behavior are formed, and how we can transform bad habits into positive behaviors in ourselves and others. Smart Change explores the psychological mechanisms that form and maintain habits in individuals and groups and offers real, accessible and actionable advice for changing habits. In an engaging narrative, Markman covers a wide range of habits, from individual behaviors like eating better and exercising regularly to work-related behaviors such as learning effectively and influencing customers’ purchases.
He proposes that there are five effective tools to help individuals change behavior and to help people influence the habits of the people around them:
1. Tame the “Go” system: Identify the triggers of habits, replace old behaviors with new ones and generate specific plans to deal with obstacles.
2. Harness the “Stop” system: Learn to deal with stress and other factors that hinder the development of new and positive habits.
3. Optimize your goals. Determine the course of behavior change and how to successfully incorporate those changes for the long term.
4. Manage your environment: Change your surroundings to dramatically reduce poor behavior and habits.
5. Engage your Neighbors: To affect other people’s behavior, understand the shared culture that creates a mutual dependency, and allows neighbors and colleagues to have a profound positive influence on the behavior of other members of their community.
©2014 Art Markman PhD (P)2014 Gildan Media LLCRelated to this topic
-
Atomic Habits
- An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
- By: James Clear
- Narrated by: James Clear
- Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving - every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change.
-
-
Author went overboard hawking his site
- By CHughes on 06-25-19
By: James Clear
-
Making Habits, Breaking Habits
- Why We Do Things, Why We Don't, and How to Make Any Change Stick
- By: Jeremy Dean
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Say you want to start going to the gym or practicing a musical instrument. How long should it take before you stop having to force it and start doing it automatically? The surprising answers are found in Making Habits, Breaking Habits, a leading psychologist’s popular examination of one of the most powerful and underappreciated processes in the brain. Although people like to think that they are in control, the vast majority of human behavior occurs without any decision-making or conscious thought.
-
-
Get the actual book
- By Trish Vidal on 05-22-14
By: Jeremy Dean
-
The Procrastination Equation
- How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done
- By: Piers Steel Ph.D.
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Using a mix of psychology, science, self-help, and a decade of groundbreaking research, Dr. Piers Steel, internationally recognized as the foremost authority on procrastination, explains why procrastination is dangerously on the rise and tells us how to overcome the destructive patterns that affect our health and happiness to create more positive lives.
-
-
A mixed bag with few concrete techniques
- By Sean on 04-05-11
-
Fail Fast, Fail Often
- How Losing Can Help You Win
- By: Ryan Babineaux Ph.D., John Krumboltz PhD
- Narrated by: Tim Adrres Pabon
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryan Babineaux and John Krumboltz have come to a compelling conclusion: happy and successful people tend to spend less time planning and more time acting. They get out into the world, try new things, and make mistakes, and in doing so, they benefit from unexpected experiences and opportunities. Drawing on the authors’ research in human development and innovation, Fail Fast, Fail Often shows readers how to allow their enthusiasm to guide them, to act boldly, and to leverage their strengths - even if they are terrified of failure.
-
-
Informative and moved quickly.
- By Gale Marie on 03-02-25
By: Ryan Babineaux Ph.D., and others
-
Smart Thinking
- Three Essential Keys to Solve Problems, Innovate, and Get Things Done
- By: Art Markman
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Think smart people are just born that way? Think again. Drawing on diverse studies of the mind, from psychology to linguistics, philosophy, and learning science, Art Markman, Ph.D., demonstrates the difference between "smart thinking" and raw intelligence, showing listeners how memory works, how to learn effectively, and how to use knowledge to get things done. He then introduces his own three-part formula for listeners to employ "smart thinking" in their daily lives.
-
-
I feel asleep in class
- By Lee on 12-14-12
By: Art Markman
-
How to Change
- The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
- By: Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth - foreword
- Narrated by: Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Change comes most readily when you understand what's standing between you and success and tailor your solution to that roadblock. If you want to work out more but find exercise difficult and boring, downloading a goal-setting app probably won't help. But what if, instead, you transformed your workouts so they became a source of pleasure instead of a chore? Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is the key to success.
-
-
Finally, actionable steps
- By lisa on 05-05-21
By: Katy Milkman, and others
-
Atomic Habits
- An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
- By: James Clear
- Narrated by: James Clear
- Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving - every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change.
-
-
Author went overboard hawking his site
- By CHughes on 06-25-19
By: James Clear
-
Making Habits, Breaking Habits
- Why We Do Things, Why We Don't, and How to Make Any Change Stick
- By: Jeremy Dean
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 6 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Say you want to start going to the gym or practicing a musical instrument. How long should it take before you stop having to force it and start doing it automatically? The surprising answers are found in Making Habits, Breaking Habits, a leading psychologist’s popular examination of one of the most powerful and underappreciated processes in the brain. Although people like to think that they are in control, the vast majority of human behavior occurs without any decision-making or conscious thought.
-
-
Get the actual book
- By Trish Vidal on 05-22-14
By: Jeremy Dean
-
The Procrastination Equation
- How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done
- By: Piers Steel Ph.D.
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Using a mix of psychology, science, self-help, and a decade of groundbreaking research, Dr. Piers Steel, internationally recognized as the foremost authority on procrastination, explains why procrastination is dangerously on the rise and tells us how to overcome the destructive patterns that affect our health and happiness to create more positive lives.
-
-
A mixed bag with few concrete techniques
- By Sean on 04-05-11
-
Fail Fast, Fail Often
- How Losing Can Help You Win
- By: Ryan Babineaux Ph.D., John Krumboltz PhD
- Narrated by: Tim Adrres Pabon
- Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryan Babineaux and John Krumboltz have come to a compelling conclusion: happy and successful people tend to spend less time planning and more time acting. They get out into the world, try new things, and make mistakes, and in doing so, they benefit from unexpected experiences and opportunities. Drawing on the authors’ research in human development and innovation, Fail Fast, Fail Often shows readers how to allow their enthusiasm to guide them, to act boldly, and to leverage their strengths - even if they are terrified of failure.
-
-
Informative and moved quickly.
- By Gale Marie on 03-02-25
By: Ryan Babineaux Ph.D., and others
-
Smart Thinking
- Three Essential Keys to Solve Problems, Innovate, and Get Things Done
- By: Art Markman
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Think smart people are just born that way? Think again. Drawing on diverse studies of the mind, from psychology to linguistics, philosophy, and learning science, Art Markman, Ph.D., demonstrates the difference between "smart thinking" and raw intelligence, showing listeners how memory works, how to learn effectively, and how to use knowledge to get things done. He then introduces his own three-part formula for listeners to employ "smart thinking" in their daily lives.
-
-
I feel asleep in class
- By Lee on 12-14-12
By: Art Markman
-
How to Change
- The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
- By: Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth - foreword
- Narrated by: Katy Milkman, Angela Duckworth
- Length: 6 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Change comes most readily when you understand what's standing between you and success and tailor your solution to that roadblock. If you want to work out more but find exercise difficult and boring, downloading a goal-setting app probably won't help. But what if, instead, you transformed your workouts so they became a source of pleasure instead of a chore? Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is the key to success.
-
-
Finally, actionable steps
- By lisa on 05-05-21
By: Katy Milkman, and others
-
Brainblocks
- Overcoming the 7 Hidden Barriers to Success
- By: Dr. Theo Tsaousides
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brainblocks are the mental obstacles that keep people from achieving success, defined as setting, pursuing, and achieving a goal. Managing the brain is the solution to preventing mental blocks from interfering with achieving your goals.
-
-
Not worth my time
- By John W. Bates on 11-03-15
-
Commit to Win
- How to Harness the Four Elements of Commitment to Reach Your Goals
- By: Heidi Reeder PhD
- Narrated by: Heidi Reeder PhD
- Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What do you need besides motivation and willpower? In Commit to Win, Heidi Reeder, PhD, unpacks over forty years of research by psychologists and economists to show that the key to reaching any goal, whether it’s to hit the gym more often or to finally quit that dead-end job, isn’t motivation, willpower, or determination. It’s commitment. Busting the myths most of us believe about commitment, Reeder shows that it all comes down to four variables.
-
-
Practical, but misses passion
- By ANDRÉ on 11-07-14
By: Heidi Reeder PhD
-
The Accidental Creative
- How to Be Brilliant at a Moment's Notice
- By: Todd Henry
- Narrated by: Todd Henry
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It isn't enough to just do your job anymore. In order to thrive in today's marketplace, all of us, regardless of our role, have to be ready to generate brilliant ideas on demand. Business creativity expert Todd Henry explains how to establish effective practices that unleash your creative potential. Born out of his consultancy and his popular podcast, Henry has created a practical method for discovering your personal creative rhythm.
-
-
If you aren't busy, this book will make ya!
- By Oliver Nielsen on 10-05-13
By: Todd Henry
-
Rethinking Positive Thinking
- Inside the New Science of Motivation
- By: Gabriele Oettingen
- Narrated by: Karen Saltus
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on her groundbreaking research and large-scale scientific studies, Oettingen introduces a new way to visualize the future, called mental contrasting. It combines focusing on our dreams with visualizing the obstacles that stand in our way. In Rethinking Positive Thinking, Oettingen applies mental contrasting to three key areas of personal change - becoming healthier, nurturing personal and professional relationships, and performing better at work.
-
-
Simply unimpressive
- By Jeff Fiske on 10-25-14
-
Focus
- Use Different Ways of Seeing the World for Success and Influence
- By: Heidi Grant Halvorson Ph.D., E. Tory Higgins PhD
- Narrated by: Karen Saltus
- Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We all want to experience pleasure and avoid pain. But there are really two kinds of pleasure and pain that motivate everything we do. If you are promotion-focused, you want to advance and avoid missed opportunities. If you are prevention-focused, you want to minimize losses and keep things working. And as Tory Higgins has found in his groundbreaking research, if you understand how people focus, you have the power to motivate yourself and everyone around you.
-
-
Pain / Pleasure
- By Serena K. on 02-13-17
By: Heidi Grant Halvorson Ph.D., and others
-
I'm Afraid Debbie From Marketing Has Left for the Day
- How to Use Behavioural Design to Create Change in the Real World
- By: Morten Münster
- Narrated by: David Bateson
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With more than 50,000 copies sold in Denmark, this book has been on the bestseller list since its publication in 2017. Barack Obama used a secret competitive advantage to win two elections. Companies such as Google, Amazon and Novo Nordisk use the same insight to stir up innovation, increase compliance, improve the work environment and sell more products. And successful management groups in the C20 index have started using it as their preferred strategy. But what kind of insight are we talking about here? The answer is - behavioural design.
-
-
Great, practical summary of behaviour design
- By Elena on 06-01-21
By: Morten Münster
-
Influencer, Second Edition
- The New Science of Leading Change
- By: Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, David Maxfield, and others
- Narrated by: Joseph Grenny
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the best-selling authors who taught the world how to have Crucial Conversations comes the new edition of Influencer, a thought-provoking book that combines the remarkable insights of behavioral scientists and business leaders with the astonishing stories of high-powered influencers from all walks of life. You'll be taught each and every step of the influence process - including robust strategies for making change inevitable in your personal life, your business, and your world.
-
-
Absolutely would recommend
- By M D on 01-06-25
By: Joseph Grenny, and others
-
The Leading Brain
- Powerful Science-Based Strategies for Achieving Peak Performance
- By: Friederike Fabritius, Hans W. Hagemann
- Narrated by: Karen Saltus
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's a revolution taking place that most businesses are still unaware of. The understanding of how our brains work has radically shifted, exploding long-held myths about our everyday cognitive performance and fundamentally changing the way we engage and succeed in the workplace. Combining their expertise in both neuropsychology and management consulting, neuropsychologist Friederike Fabritius and leadership expert Dr. Hans W. Hagemann present simple yet powerful strategies.
-
-
Understand your brain for a better life!
- By Khalid Sul on 02-23-18
By: Friederike Fabritius, and others
-
The ONE Thing
- The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
- By: Gary Keller, Jay Papasan
- Narrated by: Timothy Miller, Claire Hamilton
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is an audiobook for busy people. If you want less on your plate and more for your life and career, tune in to the #1 Wall Street Journal best seller, The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results. The ONE Thing will bring your life and your work into focus. Authors Gary Keller and Jay Papasan teach you the tricks to cut through the clutter, achieve better results in less time, dial down stress, and master what matters to you.
-
-
Really Helpful Book!
- By Marisela Gutierrez on 04-01-17
By: Gary Keller, and others
-
Designing Your Life
- How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
- By: Bill Burnett, Dave Evans
- Narrated by: Bill Burnett, Dave Evans
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this book Bill Burnett and Dave Evans show us how design thinking can help us create lives that are both meaningful and fulfilling, regardless of whom or where we are, what we do or have done for a living, or how young or old we are. The same design thinking responsible for amazing technology, products, and spaces can be used to design and build your career and your life, a life of fulfillment and joy, constantly creative and productive, one that always holds the possibility of surprise.
-
-
Get the printed version
- By dogwood lady on 12-03-16
By: Bill Burnett, and others
-
The Plateau Effect
- Getting From Stuck to Success
- By: Bob Sullivan, Hugh Thompson
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Plateau Effect is a powerful law of nature that affects everyone. Learn to identify plateaus and break through any stagnancy in your life - from diet and exercise, to work, to relationships. The Plateau Effect shows how athletes, scientists, therapists, companies, and musicians around the world are learning to break through their plateau - to turn off the forces that cause people to “get used to” things - and turn on human potential and happiness in ways that seemed impossible.
-
-
Heath
- By Oliver Nielsen on 07-22-13
By: Bob Sullivan, and others
-
How to Get Sh*t Done
- Why Women Need to Stop Doing Everything So They Can Achieve Anything
- By: Erin Falconer
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Finally, in the first productivity book by a woman in a decade, Erin Falconer will show you how to do less - a lot less. In fact, How to Get Sh*t Done will teach you how to zero in on the three areas of your life where you want to excel, and then it will show you how to offload, outsource, or just stop giving a damn about the rest. In How to Get Sh*t Done she shows how even the most perfectionistic among us can tap in to our inner free spirit and learn to feel like badasses rather than drudges.
-
-
Not What I Expected
- By Justin Jones on 02-05-18
By: Erin Falconer
What listeners say about Smart Change
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Isaque
- 03-05-19
Very practical book to change habits
I really liked it and I'll read it again with pauses for implementation. I've read a few books in the subject and this is the most practical one. But don't dream too much about it, as any other book about habit changes, you have to be open and willing to change. The door opens from inside.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Amazon Customer
- 10-19-20
3/5
Some good insights and written with Marksman's gift for informed, user-friendly concision, but not on par with Smart Thinking as an authoritative, comprehensive treatment of its subject matter.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- B
- 04-16-16
Revealing book
Great stuff. Similar to Change Anything but the information was looked at from different angles. I liked the concept of habit for convenience to my brain and it made me appreciate the difficulty in change. Recommended.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- M. B. Jones
- 07-02-18
The best book about changing habits.
I've read well over a dozen books on habits, mindsets, willpower and the like. This one is the best. It synthesizes (but doesn't site unfortunately) well studied research about our habits and willpower. It actually gives you distinct steps to take to make effective change in your life instead of just expecting you to figure it out - a huge failing in most other self development books.
Read it. Do it. Get the habits you actually want.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Birdy
- 08-17-16
very inspiring
just finish the first listening. will come back later to pick up some favorite sections to chew on. very good material for habit changing, guess I need to act now ☺
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Rand
- 05-30-14
Even Smarter Than I Thought!!!
I loved Art's other title "Smart Thinking", but was a little reluctant to go in on this book. I have several other books on this topic and the reviews I read didn't imply that there would be much in the way of new information. I was wrong!
This book does a great job using simple and concrete language as a means to highlight the the process of habit disruption and formation. Further, he wraps this process around an easily remembered framework of "why" that doesn't get lost in the minutia of experimental data.
After reading this book, I was struck with the notion that Mr. Markman also has the ability to adapt his writing style to incorporate the principles he teaches. Said another way, Mr. Markman has turned me into a Smart Thinker with a new habit of reading his books.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
61 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cheryl
- 01-13-16
Exploration of Psychological Mechanisms
To me the book became monotonous as the author walked me through a series of simple steps to optimize goals. I feel it could have been written in half the number of pages he used to explain and outline of the five actionable steps for people to change their habits, minds, and bodies.
I was able to get some tips, however, for making changes using some of his practical advise.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paul Frew
- 01-05-16
Very useful approach!
I found the concepts in this book fresh, logical and quite empowering. In fact, I'm surprised how simple the systems that govern our behavior really are, and how effective the tools described seem to be.
The book also comes with access to an online journal for tracking progress progress templates questions to guide one through the process of change.
I'm thrilled to have found this nugget of a book. Writing is concise, clear and flows well, with great summaries along the way.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Astro
- 12-23-20
Life-changing
I’m fascinated by habits and change and have read and listened to many, many books on the subjects. This one is a gem. A doable roadmap to change without a lot of fluff.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Omar A. AlSadoon
- 08-21-18
so many pages, but few useful content
i couldn't get past the firs fewt chapters. the writer wanders about many useless redundant stuff, its like pulling teeth to actually make a point to take home.
feels like writer had so much points to make, that they had to fill in between with just redundant sentences.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!