Atomic Habits (James Clear) — Book Summary
Time magnifies the margin between success and failure. It will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.
The big idea 1% improvement = 37% better
What are habits?
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
But when we repeat 1 percent errors, day after day, by replicating poor decisions, duplicating tiny mistakes, and rationalizing little excuses, our small choices compound into toxic results.
Why should you buy the book?
If you want to change that will have a transformative effect on your career, your relationship, and your life.
People think when you want to change your life, you need to think big, but world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions — doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes earlier, or reading just one more page, he calls them atomic habits
When I saw all the hype, the book was created on social media and reading forum, I listened to the audiobook last year, this year I wanted to assimilate every page of this book and I hope the reflections ahead will make you want to read the book too because it’s worth it.
TOP 5 Take Always
- Habits are easy to form if it’s based on building your identity
- Make good habits easy and satisfying
- Showing up is as important as doing things
- Cue — Desire — Response — Reward
- Motivation is overrated
Techniques to Build Good Habits
Habit Stacking
Stack new habits with existing habits. For e.g. “After waking up I’ll meditate for 5 minutes after meditating I will brush my teeth, after brushing I will write my journal”
Make it Attractive
It is an upgraded version of habit stacking, instead of stacking habits randomly, add new habits with habits you are excited about. For e.g., After finishing this blog, I’ll go and watch Netflix.
Feedback loops Habit -> Identity
Feedback loops are yet another human nature that happens in the background. If you take moment to pause and reflect on your behavior and course-correct along the way the habit will soon become your identity
One Space One Use
Let’s say you want to start meditating, it is better to have a separate space for it. The Association of a habit with a place makes it easier to implement it.
Pointing and Calling
One of the biggest problems with bad habits is that it's so ingrained that we're unaware of them. Pointing and calling is when you stack habits and call them aloud when you do it. Next time you grab that smoke shout aloud “I am going to smoke!!!”
Use Friction to Your advantage
Keep the good habit triggers closer and the bad habit triggers far away.
- Put your gym clothes on
- Never roll up your gym mat
- Have books lying around you
- Hide the cigarettes or even better lock it
Goldilocks Rule — To Stay motivated
The Goldilocks Rule states that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right.
When trying to incorporate new habits don’t push yourself. Stretch yourself just enough such that it’s both challenging and amusing.
2-Minutes Rule
To get beyond procrastination break good habits into 2-minute chunks
“Read before bed each night” becomes “Read one page.”
“Do thirty minutes of yoga” becomes “Take out my yoga mat”
“Study for class” becomes “Open my notes.”
“Fold the laundry” becomes “Fold one pair of socks.”
“Run three miles” becomes “Tie my running shoes.”
7 Mindset — Changing Wisdom Bombs
“You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results”
Where you are heading is more important than where you are currently at.
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems”
Goals are meaningless without an effective system to accomplish them
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become”
Are you casting vote for the person you want to become?
“Self-Control is a short-term strategy, not a long-term one”
Discipline and system -> Self-Control
“Imagine changing just one word: You don’t “Have” to. you get to”
With the right mindset, life is full of privileges, not obligations
“Never miss twice. If I miss one day, I try to get back into it as quickly as possible”
We all fall of the horse. The winners get right back in the saddle
“Until you work as hard as those you admire, don’t explain away their success as luck”
Everyone you think is lucky worked their butts off. Do the same
Ready for some Good Habits?
If you haven’t read Atomic Habits yet, what are you waiting for? Don’t walk. Run and get a copy.
Improve your habits, improve your systems… Improve your life.