Atomic Habits by James Clear
summarized by BECKIE MOORE
A friend recommended Atomic Habits to me after she listened to the author, James Clear, speak with Brené Brown on her podcast, “dare to lead”. After listening to the two-part podcast myself, I purchased the book to learn more!
Habits are those tiny actions you take as part of a regular practice or routine. To create good habits and reduce or eliminate bad habits, you must first decide who you want to be/become. “Your identity emerges out of your habits. Every action is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” In other words, decide the type of person you want to be and then prove it to yourself with small wins. Once you know who you want to be/become, use the four laws of behavior change to create a good habit and break a bad habit.
How to Create a Good Habit
Make it obvious.
Make it attractive.
Make it easy.
Make it satisfying.
How to Break a Bad Habit
Make it invisible.
Make it unattractive.
Make it difficult.
Make it unsatisfying.
How long does it take to establish a habit? A lifetime! Because the moment you stop taking that action is the moment you begin breaking that habit. Take the time to evaluate what is working and what is no longer serving you. Figure out how often this evaluation needs to happen - monthly, quarterly, annually? Then make adjustments - getting 1 percent better every day.
Favorite Quotes
Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.
You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results.
Your habits can compound for you or against you.
The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision.
You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.
Goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems are about the processes that lead to those results.
Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.
Habits are like the atoms of our lives. Each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement.
It’s one thing to say I’m the type of person who wants this. It’s something very different to say I’m the type of person who is this.
Two-Minute Rule: When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.
The point is to master the habit of showing up.