Time, Money, Rituals, & Greater Well-Being

Michael I. Norton is not a self-help guru—but he is a leading behavior scientist, behavioral economics researcher, Harvard Business School Professor, and business speaker obsessed with unlocking the secrets of human behavior and well-being, from happier spending to the power of rituals.

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behavior scientist Michael I Norton delivering a TED Talk

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The Ritual Effect: Unlocking the Extraordinary Power of the Ordinary

In the bestselling tradition of Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit and Angela Duckworth’s Grit, a renowned behavioral scientist demonstrates the power of small acts—and how a subtle shift of turning habits into rituals can add purpose and pleasure to life.

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Quiz: What Are Your Rituals?

Rituals influence how you conduct business, how you relate to other people, and how you experience your daily life. Learn more about your own rituals—and why they matter—through this quiz.

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a crowd watching Michael Norton speak at TEDx Somerville

Meet Michael Norton

An award-winning behavioral scientist and professor at Harvard Business School, Michael Norton’s research focuses on behavioral economics and well-being, with particular attention given to topics such as happiness, spending, and, most recently, rituals and habits. His upcoming book The Ritual Effect focuses on the surprising and versatile power of rituals.

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Featured Media

See Michael Norton’s latest media mentions, including in popular outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes, and The New York Times.

Magic 8 Balls. Coin flips. Why do we turn to objects to make decisions for us?

"[W]e can’t know if we’ll regret any choice until after we’ve made it and committed to it," says Michael Norton.

How Can Individual People Most Help Ukraine?

One way of thinking about how to be most helpful is to take this moment as an opportunity to reflect more broadly on all the charitable giving that you can afford to do.