The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

Help readers relate the book’s lessons to their own life experiences.

1. If you were to identify a “keystone habit” in your own life—something that creates ripple effects in other areas—what would it be, and how might you work with it intentionally?

2. Eugene Pauly’s story highlights how much of our behavior is habitual and subconscious. What automatic behaviors have you started to notice since reading the book?

3. Duhigg argues that willpower is a skill that can be built. When have you consciously developed willpower, and what strategies made it easier or harder?

4. Paul O’Neill’s leadership story at ALCOA shows how focusing on one value—safety—transformed a company. Have you seen a similar domino effect from a single change in your workplace or team?

Encourage readers to think about the book’s role in current social, cultural, or professional conversations.

1. The book’s case studies center largely on U.S. institutions. How might cultural differences around routine, autonomy, or motivation influence the applicability of these ideas globally?

2. Target’s predictive analytics raised questions about privacy and manipulation. What ethical boundaries should companies respect when using habit data to shape consumer behavior?

3. Rosa Parks’s story shows how personal and community habits can fuel collective action. How do you think social movements today form habits of connection, messaging, or momentum in a digital age?