Person
Every book Katy Milkman recommended on podcasts
Dr. Katy Milkman appeared on The Mel Robbins Podcast to share strategies on how to achieve personal goals and alter daily routines. During the episode, she recommended Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit and James Clear's Atomic Habits, noting that both books have done a wonderful job popularizing the concept of the habit loop and explaining the mechanics behind how people form automatic behaviors in their daily lives. In addition to discussing these prominent works on behavioral change, she also mentioned reading the Harry Potter novels as a graduate student. She brought up this personal experience to illustrate how she used fiction during that time in her life to sink into a story, escape to another place, and manage her own experiences with temptation bundling. Through these discussions, she highlighted both practical frameworks for building lasting personal habits and the role that engaging fiction can play in managing time, focus, and personal motivation during demanding academic or professional periods.
Books recommended by Katy Milkman
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Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a bestselling guide on habit formation, personal development, and how small daily adjustments compound into massive long-term results.
Recommended“atomic habits by James Clear. These are great books that I think have done a nice job popularizing this idea of a habit loop.”
Where to get it
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The Power of Habit
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is a bestselling examination of the science behind how routines are formed, maintained, and altered.
Recommended“If you know people may be familiar with the power of habit by Charles Doohig or atomic habits by James Clear. These are great books that I think have done a nice job popularizing this idea of a habit loop.”
Where to get it
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Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a globally celebrated fantasy book series chronicling the magical education and adventures of a young wizard.
Discussed“I was really into the Harry Potter novels at that time. They were fairly new, you know. I just wanted to sink into fiction and go to another place.”
Where to get it
Books Katy Milkman wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change Your Life This Year: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be | The Mel Robbins Podcast | 2025-12-29 | 3 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I'm a professor at the Wharton School and I'm also the author of the book How to Change and I'm the co-director of the behavior change for good initiative with Angela Duckworth.”