Engaging Conversations on Behavioral Change and Personal Growth

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, host Melina Palmer welcomes Dr. Katy Milkman to discuss the intricacies of creating lasting behavior change. Katy, a professor at the Wharton School and co-director of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative, shares insights from her book How to Change.

Melina and Katy discuss fresh starts, temptation bundling, and the importance of understanding the underlying barriers to change. They also cover the surprising benefits of giving advice to others as a means of boosting one's own confidence and motivation. Through engaging stories and practical examples, Katy illustrates how small, thoughtful interventions can lead to significant improvements in behavior and outcomes.

In this episode:

• Explore the concept of fresh starts and how they can motivate behavior change.
• Understand the power of temptation bundling to create lasting habits.
• Learn about the psychological benefits of giving advice to others.
• Discover the importance of identifying the right barriers to change for effective interventions.
• Gain insights into Katy Milkman's research and practical applications for behavior change.

00:00:00 - Introduction Melina introduces the episode and the topic of behavior change with Dr. Katy Milkman.

00:04:30 - Katy Milkman's Background Katy shares her background, her role at the Wharton School, and her work on the Behavior Change for Good Initiative.

00:09:45 - Fresh Starts Katy discusses the concept of fresh starts and how they can be leveraged to motivate behavior change.

00:15:20 - Temptation Bundling Melina and Katy explore the idea of temptation bundling and its effectiveness in creating lasting habits.

00:21:18 - Giving Advice to Others Katy explains the surprising benefits of giving advice to others and how it can boost one's own confidence and motivation.

00:27:54 - Identifying Barriers to Change The conversation shifts to the importance of identifying the right barriers to change for effective interventions.

00:34:06 - Real-World Applications Katy provides examples of how her research can be applied in real-world scenarios to improve behavior and outcomes.

00:40:22 - The Role of Mindset The discussion highlights the role of mindset in achieving behavior change and the power of believing in oneself.

00:46:15 - Conclusion What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn.

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Connect with Katy:

• Katy’s Website
• Behavior Change for Good Initiative
• Katy on Twitter
• Katy on LinkedIn

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Check out and get your copies of Melina’s Books. 

Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode:

• Good Habits, Bad Habits, by Wendy Wood
• Indistractable, by Nir Eyal
• How to Change, by Katy Milkman
• Happier Hour, by Cassie Holmes
• Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman

Top Recommended Next Episode: Temptation Bundling (ep 250)

Already Heard That One? Try These: 

• Habits (ep 256)
• Status Quo Bias (ep 376)
• Tapping into the Power of Habit (ep 368)
• Wendy Wood Interview (ep 428)
• Sludge (ep 384)

Other Important Links: 

Brainy Bites - Melina’s LinkedIn Newsletter