The Power of Agency: The 7 Principles to Conquer Obstacles, Make Effective Decisions, and Create a Life on Your Own Terms - Hardcover

"If you're looking for a read that spotlights exactly how to take control of your life, this book provides a tidy amalgamation of theory and practice that'll get you up and running with the tools you need." --New York Journal of Books

"Drawing on decades of their professional experience and cutting-edge research, Drs. Napper and Rao offer keen insights into making decisions that enhance one's life. Whether in parenting, business, physical or mental health, they reveal how agency is key to successful outcomes. This is a book replete with the kind of wisdom that we seek for ourselves and for those we love." --Jerome Groopman, M.D., Recanati Professor at Harvard University and best selling author of How Doctors Think

"No matter what happens to you in life, you dictate how you respond - that is agency. This book offers the groundwork for making choices that allow you to spend more time on the things you care about and less time on those you'd rather skip. Your relationships will have more warmth, your productivity will increase, and your life will feel more meaningful." --Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Candor

"Some books convey deep insights that make you gasp with recognition. Some offer useful practices and tools you can immediately apply. Napper and Rao have written that rare book that does both. The Power of Agency is as practical as it is wise. If you are struggling to manage your work and life in this age of endless distraction, read this book immediately." --Amy C. Edmondson, Ph.D., Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School and author of The Fearless Organization

"The deceptive simplicity of The Power of Agency is rooted in the authors' close acquaintance with the complexity of modern life; their genius lies in their ability to show us precisely how to run our own lives rather than to allow our lives to run us." --Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of Driven to Distraction

PAUL NAPPER leads a management psychology and executive coaching consultancy in Boston. His client list includes Fortune 500 companies, universities, and start-ups. He held an academic appointment and advanced fellowship position at Harvard Medical School.

ANTHONY RAO is a cognitive-behavioral psychologist. He maintains a clinical practice, consults, and speaks nationally, appearing regularly as an expert commentator. For over 20 years he was a psychologist at Boston Children's Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School.