Swipe

The Science Behind Why We Don’t Finish What We Start

This book is the key to escaping the cycle of failure, disengagement, and regret. 

Why is it so hard to finish what we start? Every day we wake up determined to engage with life—to finish that novel, overcome work challenges, repair a strained relationship, or reach fitness goals. Despite our best intentions, we fall short. Are we doomed to a lifetime of regret?

Reaching goals after repeated frustration starts with understanding the impulse known as the Swipe, a side effect of our high-tech culture. Drawing on disciplines from neurobiology to business and based on a massive database, Tracy Maylett and Tim Vandehey reveal a powerful psychological process that makes us disengage from what (or who) we care about most—often when we’re heartbreakingly close to real breakthroughs.

In Swipe, readers will learn how this mechanism works and recognize when they’re caught on the “Hamster Wheel.” They’ll discover how to short-circuit the Swipe, reengage, and finally finish what they start.