BooksSmarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The author of The Power of Habit and “master of the life hack” (GQ) explores the fascinating science of productivity and offers real-world takeaways to apply your life, whether you’re chasing peak productivity or simply trying to get back on track. “Duhigg melds cutting-edge science, deep reporting, and wide-ranging stories to give us a fuller, more human way of thinking about how productivity actually happens.”—Susan Cain, author of Quiet In The Power of Habit, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Charles Duhigg explained why we do what we do. In Smarter Faster Better, he applies the same relentless curiosity and rich storytelling to how we can improve at the things we do. At the core of Smarter Faster Better are eight key concepts—from motivation and goal setting to focus and decision making—that explain why some people and companies get so much done. Drawing on the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral economics—as well as the experiences of CEOs, educational reformers, four-star generals, FBI agents, airplane pilots, and Broadway songwriters—this book reveals that the most productive people, companies, and organizations don’t merely act differently. They view the world, and their choices, in profoundly different ways. Smarter Faster Better is a story-filled exploration of the science of productivity, one that can help us learn to succeed with less stress and struggle—and become smarter, faster, and better at everything we do.
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Investigative journalism and social science research meet in non-fiction works that examine human psychology, habit formation, productivity, and interpersonal dynamics. Charles Duhigg has authored several high-profile books in this space, most notably The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, which spent over three years on bestseller lists and was translated into 40 languages.
Through deep reporting and concrete case studies of individuals and organizations, his work translates behavioral research into practical insights about how people work, communicate, and change daily routines.
Born in New Mexico in 1974, Charles Duhigg completed his undergraduate studies at Yale University before earning a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2003. He began his journalism career as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times before joining The New York Times in 2006, where he worked as a reporter and senior editor until 2017. Later in his career, he became a staff writer and contributor for The New Yorker magazine.
In 2013, Duhigg was part of a reporting team at The New York Times that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for 'The iEconomy,' a ten-part series detailing the business practices of Apple and other technology companies. His investigative journalism has also earned the George Polk Award, the Gerald Loeb Award, the Investigative Reporters and Editors Medal, the Scripps Howard National Journalism Award, and recognition from the National Academies of Sciences. In addition to print reporting, he has appeared on broadcast outlets including NPR, PBS's NewsHour, Frontline, This American Life, and The Colbert Report.
Combining the analytical rigor of an investigative journalist with insights informed by business education, Duhigg connects scientific research with real-world narratives. His writing frequently pairs behavioral psychology, neuroscience, and organizational science with memorable real-life case studies. Rather than offering abstract self-help techniques, he focuses on how systems, routines, and environmental structures shape human behavior.
A central theme across his books is the mechanics of behavioral change and effective communication. He explores how habit loops operate in individuals and corporations, how high-performing groups structure their decision-making processes, and how conversations can be navigated by recognizing underlying emotional, practical, and social layers.
