Book Summary: Atomic Habits by James Clear
So good, I had to do a summary - Quotes at the end!
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a current re-read from last year that is paying more dividends my second time through.
Basically, Clear argues that lasting change comes from focusing on tiny tweaks to your system, rather than drastic changes in behavior:
“We often dismiss small changes because they don’t seem to matter very much in the moment.”
In fact the opposite seems to be true.
The book centers around a four-step framework called the Four Laws of Behavior Change:
Cue: Make the desired habit obvious.
Craving: Make the habit attractive.
Response: Make the habit easy.
Reward: Make the habit satisfying.
Clear emphasizes that these steps can be used to both build good habits and break bad ones. For example, to build a running habit, you could set out your running clothes the night before (cue), listen to a motivating podcast while running (craving), and reward yourself with a healthy breakfast or experience the runner’s high after (reward).
I also love the concept of habit stacking, where you link a new habit to an existing one. For example, you could floss your teeth after you brush your teeth every night. By pairing the new habit with an established routine, you make it easier to stick with the new behavior.
My current habit stacking is doing a cold plunge AFTER every workout - so good.
But my BIGGEST take-away by far is his assertion that Identity change is a powerful tool for habit formation.
"You don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
By focusing on becoming the type of person who does the behaviors you want to do, you can make lasting change.
By thinking about habits as part of who I am, or better yet who I want to be, has made building a positive habit much easier. (For example when I wake up early for a training run, but am tempted to hit snooze, I ask myself, what would a world class runner do? Answer: Not hit snooze!)
Here are some other key takeaways from Atomic Habits:
Small changes can lead to remarkable results over time. "The goal isn't to do a bunch of difficult things; it's to do a bunch of easy things that compound into a massive result."
Focus on making good habits easy and bad habits difficult. Our environment plays a big role in shaping our habits. If you want to make a good habit easier, make it obvious and convenient. If you want to break a bad habit, make it difficult and inconvenient.
Love this book. It’s a must read.
Yes this applies to sales…
-Joe
Other fun quotes from the book that hit home for me:
“Habits do not restrict freedom, they create it.”
“We make a few changes, but the results never seem to come quickly and so we slide back into our previous routines.”
“The dark side of tracking a particular behavior is that we become driven by the number rather than the purpose behind it.”
“Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”
“True behavior change is identify change.”
“Goals are about the results you want to achieve. Systems are about the processes that lead to those results.”
“We often say yes to little requests because we are not clear enough about what we need to be doing instead.”
“As a general rule, the more immediate pleasure you get from an action, the more strongly you should question whether it aligns with your long-term goals.”