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Overview (Spoilers Abound):

I don’t know about all of you but every time I say this book title I have the Daft Punk song, Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, stuck in my head for the foreseeable future.  Without an audio book waiting in my queue after finishing Bottle of Lies, I decided to choose the most popular nonfiction book that was currently available from my local library. Despite never hearing of the title before, Smarter Faster Better was the top on the list that I hadn’t read yet. So going in blind, I borrowed the book, not quite sure what I was getting myself into. When approaching reads where authors are offering their thoughts or insights on how you think, such as The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck or Girl, Wash your Face, I feel, from a readers perspective, it is important to understand that not everything the author suggests is applicable to your life but you should keep an open mind throughout and reflect upon the concepts the author is conveying. That being said, the research Duhigg put into this book, and the extensive interviews he conducted shine throughout this read, catapulting this title above others I’ve read in this genre. He dove into scientific literature, while also finding several real life examples to highlight the aforementioned findings. Honestly, my favorite aspect of this book was the epilogue where he struggled to apply the concepts he’d compiled to his everyday life and the changes he observed as a result. I’ve only felt this way about maybe one other book (The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck), however I had the strong desire to start this audiobook over as soon as I finished it to solidify the key points and formulate how to better implement this efficiency and motivation into my own life. While I didn’t immediately jump back into Duhigg’s book, I foresee a reread in my near future.  He touched on everything from efficient goal setting to motivation, productivity, and focus. Additionally, if you’re a manager or aspire to manage people eventually, Smarter Faster Better is a fantastic read as it gives scientific insight into how groups work and what motivates individuals. I usually deem a nonfiction read worthwhile if I garner one new insight, as such, it should speak volumes that I found every chapter by Duhigg to be thought provoking and applicable. Throughout this read, case studies and scientific findings carried the narrative, instead of the author’s personal opinions. Duhnigg even gives highlights at the end of the book of a story/individual he’d wanted to include, however couldn’t because due to that individual’s driven motivation being an outlier and not an example of the what worked uniformly across the board. Overall, Smarter Faster Better  proved to be an intriguing read that I still find myself pondering and brainstorming as to how to apply its various concepts to my own life.