I enjoyed Atomic Habits book because it taught me how to build lasting habits and not quit early. It’s about daily steps to reach our goals. Yet, we often lose hope when the goal seems distant.
James Clear simplifies habit-making for personal and professional growth. The method works for creating good habits or ditching bad ones.
Why Tiny Changes Make a Big Difference
In this part of the book, it’s explained how we tend to undervalue minor daily improvements. We often believe success needs big moves. However, we’ll realize what we can achieve by making daily progress and taking action.
The book shares the case of Dave Brailsford, a British manager who used the marginal gains strategy to improve British professional cyclists substantially.
“The whole principle came from the idea that if you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improve it by 1 percent, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together.”
By closely examining it, we find that daily improvements in areas we wish to change lead to eventual success. These small efforts increase over time, shaping us into our desired selves or helping us reach our goals.
This idea can be likened to compound interest in money. Habits grow stronger with daily practice.
Sadly, many of us struggle to grasp and stick with this concept because the results aren’t immediate. Saving money today won’t make you a millionaire, and a few days at the gym won’t make you fit. But persistence over a year will yield results. Slow progress often causes us to quit good habits before reaching our goals. Some habits show their effects at critical points, not steadily.
This principle applies to negative habits, too. Occasional junk food doesn’t immediately harm your health; over time, it takes a toll on your well-being and weight. The delayed consequences of small, negative actions make it easy to fall into poor choices.
Shift to systems, not just goals.
James Clear suggests a system to reach long-term transformation without quitting. In essence, concentrate on systems, not just goals.
“True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking. It’s not about any single accomplishment. It is about the cycle of endless refinement and continuous improvement. Ultimately, it is your commitment to the process that will determine your progress.”
Regrettably, a sole focus on goals can lead to problems, elaborated in the book.
Problem #1: Winners and losers have the same goals.
Problem #2: Achieving a goal is only a momentary change.
Problem #3: Goals restrict your happiness.
Problem #4: Goals are at odds with long-term progress.
Why is it so easy to repeat bad habits and so hard to form good ones?
James outlines two critical challenges in habit change: 1. Trying to change the wrong things and 2. Approaching habit change incorrectly.
So, he emphasizes the role of habits in shaping our identity, stressing that aligning habits with who we want to be is more vital than just achieving a goal. Real motivation arises when it’s part of our identity.
“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.”
Indeed, the behavior change process has three layers, as shown in the image:
Besides, outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. And identity is about what you believe.
Ultimately, my behavior mirrors my identity, representing who I am.
“The most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do.”
Before embarking on creating desired habits, you must define your identity or the person you aspire to be. One approach is to answer questions like these:
What do you want to stand for? What are your principles and values? Who do you wish to become? “Who is the type of person that could get the outcome I want?”
“Habits can help you achieve all of these things, but fundamentally they are not about having something. They are about becoming someone.”
Next, the book outlines four steps to help you achieve defined habits and become your desired person.
1. Make it obvious.
The human brain regularly assumes things as it processes information from its surroundings. When something repeats, the brain identifies what’s crucial, organizes details, and stores them for later.
To establish new habits, mastering existing ones is crucial. This can be tricky because when a habit becomes ingrained in our lives, it becomes automatic and goes unnoticed due to its regularity.
Thus, to change a habit, we must first become aware of its existence.
2. Make it attractive.
Dopamine is crucial here; it activates during pleasure or expectation of it. It predicts a reward opportunity, linking it to the habit, signaling the brain.
If a habit leads to a rewarding experience, it motivates us to act.
“We tend to adopt habits that are praised and approved of by our culture because we have a strong desire to fit in and belong to the tribe.”
That’s why our surroundings matter; they influence and mold our behaviors.
3. Make it easy.
Repetition, or practice, is the best way to form a habit. It’s crucial to make it simple. Our brains aim to save energy, favoring the least effort. We tend to choose actions offering the most value with minimal effort.
It doesn’t mean we can’t do challenging tasks. But to establish a habit, starting with something easy, reduces resistance. Repetition ingrains the habit.
For instance, if the gym is on your way home from work, it’s easier to go. If it’s out of the way with added traffic, you’ll likely skip it and go straight home.
4. Make it satisfying.
Humans tend to repeat actions that bring satisfaction. So, James emphasizes the need for feeling success in habit execution, even small ones, to foster repetition.
The book elaborates on these steps and offers extra tools to support the process.
For a personal or professional change, I recommend reading Atomic Habits book. A key takeaway for me was understanding that progress happens gradually, and it’s vital to begin today to get closer to your desired self.