Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Summary

'Smarter Faster Better' by Charles Duhigg explores the science of productivity, demonstrating how making smarter choices can transform our professional and personal lives. The book interweaves research findings with real-world stories from businesses, individuals, and organizations that have dramatically improved their efficiency. Duhigg focuses on the psychological and organizational habits that lead to peak performance, offering actionable insights rather than quick fixes. He argues that productivity is less about working harder and more about making better decisions and adopting the right mindset.

Life-Changing Lessons

1. Motivation is cultivated by granting ourselves a sense of control over our choices, which reignites our drive and commitment to tasks.

2. Setting specific, challenging goals and breaking them down into concrete steps improves our ability to focus and accomplish objectives.

3. Building mental models—visualizing how situations may unfold—helps us anticipate obstacles and make better decisions under pressure.

Publishing year and rating

The book was published in: 2016

AI Rating (from 0 to 100): 87

Practical Examples

1. Motivation and Locus of Control

   The book recounts the story of Marine Corps recruits, explaining how their motivation surged when instructors taught them to take control in stressful situations. By learning to frame decisions as being within their control, trainees were able to push through adversity. This illustrates the importance of fostering an internal locus of control to sustain motivation.

2. Goal Setting with SMART and Stretch Goals

   Duhigg discusses how the company at the center of one case study used a combination of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals and 'stretch' goals. Employees would set a stretch goal—an objective just beyond their current capabilities—and then break it down with SMART guidelines. This practice drove innovation while making daunting objectives feel accessible.

3. Building Mental Models

   The story of airline pilots successfully handling a near disaster illustrates how creating mental models—visualizing potential scenarios and how to respond—helps in crisis management. Pilots who habitually rehearsed challenges in their minds performed better under stress. This technique is adapted in business and daily life for more effective decision-making.

4. Focus and Cognitive Tunneling

   Duhigg shares a case where a healthcare worker made a critical error due to cognitive tunneling—over-focusing on a single task while ignoring other signals. The lesson is to cultivate situational awareness and regularly reassess priorities, which can prevent mistakes even in high-pressure situations.

5. Team Psychological Safety at Google

   A Google project highlighted in the book found that psychological safety—feeling safe to take risks and be vulnerable—was the key predictor of high-performing teams. Creating environments where everyone’s voice is heard and respected drives creativity and productivity, illustrating how group practices impact organizational outcomes.

6. Managing Biases Through Checklists

   The book recounts a hospital’s adoption of checklists to counteract cognitive biases in high-stakes surgeries. By systematically reviewing steps, medical teams reduced mistakes and improved patient outcomes. Routine use of such systems—the same way pilots use flight checklists—increases their effectiveness in complex tasks.

7. Learning Through Failure

   Duhigg describes a kindergarten teacher who uses students’ mistakes as learning opportunities, not punishments. By embracing failures and analyzing them, her students learn resilience and how to adapt strategies, an approach relevant to anyone aiming for continuous improvement.