In this post, I will share the valuable lessons I gained from reading James Clear’s best-selling book, Atomic Habits. I recommended this book to everyone I know, and I am thrilled that most of my friends have read it and found it to be a must-have. As personal opinions can vary, I acknowledge that this article presents my own perspective on the book’s contents. Trust me, this book is not a snooze-fest.
Atomic Habits is written in clear, concise language that won’t have you dozing off mid-page. And to make it easier for you, I have broken down MY key takeaways into bite-sized sections.
Our habits shape who we are
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” According to James Clear, the quality of our lives is determined by the quality of our habits. If we want to make a lasting change in our lives, we must first change our habits. Our daily actions and choices ultimately define us as individuals, although we all have our off days and vacation time. In essence, our habits form our overall lifestyle.
Small gains are important
Acknowledging the significance of small accomplishments is crucial. Learning a new language, for instance, requires consistent effort, word by word. Similarly, physical fitness is achieved through steady exercise. Consistent practice, one line of code at a time, will eventually make you a skilled programmer. These small gains are just as essential as big ones and should not be overlooked in our lives.
WANT vs BE
The distinction between wanting and being is significant. “I WANT to become a software engineer” versus “I AM the person who writes code every day”. Can you spot the difference? James Clear contends that our identity is our repeated beingness.
While society may influence who we are, ultimately, we have the power to believe in the person we want to be. Identifying who we want to BE can inspire us to take action. Merely wanting a fitter body without any effort is insufficient. However, aspiring to BE a person with a fitter body changes our mindset and drives us towards action.
Environment matters
Our habits are dependent on our environment. For instance, if we spend time with individuals who enjoy partying and spending a lot of money, it’s likely that we will also overspend.
Our surroundings not only include the people around us but also the objects within our environment. If we wish to drink more water, keeping a bottle of water nearby can help. As someone who used to suffer from frequent headaches due to dehydration, I can attest to the importance of having water accessible. Our environment has a powerful impact on our habits, and making small changes in our surroundings can yield significant results.
Make the habit attractive
Allow me to provide an example from my childhood. Whenever I asked my sister for permission to go out and play, she would respond with, “Clean your room, and then you can go.” Living with just my sister, her response created a habit of keeping my room clean (or completing my homework). By making the task more appealing with the reward of being able to go out and meet my friends or play video games, my sister encouraged me to keep my room clean.
As I grew older, I carried this mindset forward. Whenever I clean the house, I reward myself with a long bath, a shopping trip, or binge-watching two episodes of my favorite TV show. However, it’s important to be mindful of our rewards. For instance, if we wish to get fit, we cannot reward ourselves with fast food or high-calorie drinks such as Starbucks’ Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino (460 calories!).
The close and the many
The people who are closest to us and those around us can greatly affect our lives. For example, if you’re not very active, joining a sports club can help you be around people who prioritize fitness. If you want to learn programming, being around people who have the same interest can be beneficial.
It’s important to be careful about the accounts we follow on social media too because they can also influence us. Personally, I am picky about the people I surround myself with, both online and offline, and only keep those who inspire me and with whom I like talking to.
Frequency matters
I’m not an expert in fitness and I don’t enjoy working out for an hour, so I’ve opted to do 10-minute HIIT workouts instead. They’re highly effective, and I feel accomplished in just 10 minutes. I can do these workouts 4-5 times a week without feeling guilty about not working out for an hour, which is something that people have influenced me to feel.
Another important concept is that practice is the most effective way to learn. It’s not enough to just take notes or highlight information – you have to put in the work. I tend to be a perfectionist and get caught up in the details, but I’m trying to focus more on doing and less on overthinking. Starting a habit is essential because without it, there is nothing to improve.
By the way, have you heard of Kaizen? It’s an approach to continuous improvement that emphasizes making small, positive changes over time to achieve significant improvements.
Fall in love with the routine
Successful people often do not rely on motivation to achieve their goals, instead, they fall in love with the idea of consistency and routine. They create a fixed schedule for themselves, waking up at the same time each day, eating similar foods, and maintaining their exercise regimen, regardless of the weather conditions (because let’s face it, nobody enjoys running in -10 degrees Celsius). By making a routine your new “partner in crime”, you’ll be able to stick with it more effectively. Remember, practice makes perfect.