The Control Heuristic: The Nature of Human Behavior, 2nd Edition

"This book is like a magnificent suspension bridge, linking the science of the human brain to the practical craft of applying it in everyday life. I loved it." – Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy's Vice Chairman “A SUPERB book […] by one of the profound thinkers in our field [behavioral economics].” – Michael G. Bartlett “Luca’s book was so helpful to my work. Opened my eyes up to some more reasons why change is so hard.” – Chris Murman ON THE BOOK Why do you sometimes do things which are bad for you? Why are there some items on your to-do list that you keep procrastinating over and over? And what can you do about it? Luca answers these questions and then some more, in what is probably the most comprehensive and densely-packed book you will ever read on human behavior. More importantly, Luca does not only provide answers but also practical tips to get you to do what you set your mind to. The book starts with observations of daily-life behavior. Then, it dissects our behavior from many lenses – neurology, risk management, evolution, complex systems – and distills the principles that guide human behavior, including the overarching one that gives the name to the book, “The Control Heuristic.” Luca then converts these principles into practical steps that he applied to his life, and that will help you fight resistance to change. This is not your typical book telling stories about human behavior. Instead, it is a densely-packed analysis of human behavior from the perspectives that matter the most, and a set of practical, actionable rules guiding human behavior. Reviews of Luca's previous books "Absolutely brilliant." - Alberto Pisanello "One of the best works I have read in that matter (I have read a few) and it's surprising how realistically he depicts the condition." - Manel Vilar (on Luca's book on autism) "A very thoughtful piece of writing, deep and wiring!" - David Krejca "A game changer" - Adam English "I am amazed at Luca Dellanna's ability to observe, compile, and articulate 99 very actionable life principles here. Each chapter describes the rule in a way that makes you think and then summarizes the Action. It's filled with DEEP insights yet VERY readable." - Theresia Tanzil "A tremendously useful book. If you apply the book sincerely, your outlook and understanding of what is happening in your life (especially the portions where you are struggling) will change." - Balaji Srinivasan "A profound, useful and insightful book" - Lorenzo Dragani “This guy! Luca is amazing. So insightful with common sense applications of complexity and the ability to communicate clearly!!” – Bob Klapetzky