I've read a lot of books on changing behavior and building habits and James Clear's Atomic Habits is my new favorite. This book is different from others in the way it covers an enormous amount of ground in the larger area of self-improvement while seamlessly tying all these ideas back into the central theme of habits.
One of the core concepts in Atomic Habits is to focus on the small improvement. The impact a 1% improvement per day can make may appear negligible at first, but Clear makes a compelling argument that in the case of habits, thinking small produces the biggest results over time. "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement," explains Clear.
Over the months and years, the accumulated effect of small habitual daily behaviors is staggering. Early in the book we are also warned that this compounding works both ways, so we'd better make sure we're making it work in the positive direction, not for the negative.
This is a concept I was introduced to years ago under a different name - Kaizen - the Japanese term for continuous incremental improvement. What's different and new in this book is how the concept is applied specifically to building habits.
I found the information introduced in chapter two about behavior change at the identity level to be spot-on. You're also given a simple two-step process for changing your identity and this one idea alone is incredibly powerful.
In chapter three, we are introduced to the habit loop - cue, craving, response, reward - and we learn how to build good habits in 4 simple steps and break bad habits in 4 simple steps.
One of those steps to habit formation, which goes hand in hand with the 1% concept, is how to make it not only small, but easy. In the chapters that follow, this is exactly what you find out.
Other ideas of great value that stood out included, habit stacking (the best way to form a new habit), habit tracking, habit shaping and how to design your environment - physical and social - for habit building success. You learn the truth about self-control, how to stop procrastinating and how to use implementation intentions, temptation bundling and motivational rituals. The book is simply packed with actionable ideas, tactics and strategies.
Virtually every idea in the book is useful and resonated with me. While I may not agree that we should "forget about goals," I agree with one of Clear's core principles in the book - that we must develop systems for change. If we only focus on goals and don't develop systems and a focus on the process, we risk falling into a number of goal-related traps which ultimately lead to stagnation. With the right systems, we're rewarded with continuous improvement on a lifelong journey of success.
Another difference between Atomic Habits and other books in this genre is that while it's based on science it doesn't bog you down with unnecessary details of the research. Clear's book is intensely practical, giving you a huge toolkit of organized and named strategies you can apply immediately to create and strengthen positive habits and stop the negative ones.
The book is conversational, and includes many interesting stories, making it easy to read - and hard to put down (I read it cover to cover in one day).
It's possible this might become your most highlighted personal improvement book because every page is so chocked full of memorable and quotable gems of advice.
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Atomic Habits will change your life! 9 takeaways:
Atomic Habits by James Clear is one of those rare books that I immediately read twice in a row. It is filled with dozens of science-backed and actionable nuggets of wisdom. Do you want to improve any habits in your life? I heartily recommend Atomic Habits to you! We are all driven by our habits - many of which are unconscious. Below are 9 quotes and takeaways from this life-changing book:1. "Getting 1 percent better every day counts for a lot in the long-run." Atomic Habits explains why the little things you do every day matters. Your little habits matter. It may not seem like a big deal to skip a workout or to be kind, but it is a big deal. Imagine if you improved your habits by only 1% every day. You'd be dramatically a different person in a year. Then imagine if you let your habits decline by 1% every day. You'd be in a much worse spot in life overall a year from now. Your little habits - atomic habits - count for a lot in the long run. What little habits are you improving upon (or neglecting...) today?2. "You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." This is such an important point in the book. Oftentimes we focus on goals in our life, while neglecting to focus on the systems that help us achieve goals. As an example, I had a friend who had the goal to complete a triathlon. He achieved this goal! And then he quit working out for the next year and got out of shape... He was so focused on achieving a goal that he neglected his underlying systems of being healthy. Goal achievement can actually set us back if we don't get set up sustainable systems. Get the systems right and then we'll indeed also achieve our goals. Systems > Goals.3. "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity." I love this quote from the book. Every action - every habit - you take casts a vote for the type of person you want to become. Do you want to be a more organized person? When you develop habits and systems that organize your life, you are casting votes for thinking of yourself as an organized person. You think to yourself, "hey, I'm an organized person." And then you reinforce that belief with your habits and actions - a virtuous cycle! The flip side of this can be true too. What if you often show up late to meetings? You're casting votes that may make you think "well, I'm just a person that is always late." An un-virtuous cycle. Be careful to make sure that your habits and ultimately your beliefs cast votes for the type of person you want to become and, indeed, who you truly are.4. "How long does it actually take to form a new habit? You just need to get your reps in." Atomic Habits answers the question of "how much time does it take to form a new habit" with a better answer of : X number of actions. Meaning, you may need to simply complete a new habit 100 times for it to stick, which could be done in 3 days or 3 weeks or 3 months, depending on the new habit. It is better to think of forming new habits in terms of consistently taking action, versus trying to stick to a habit for just X number of days. Get your reps in.5. "Reduce friction. Decrease the number of steps between you and your good habits." The inverse of this is also true - increase friction between you and your bad habits! I think about this a lot when it comes to eating healthy. I need to reduce friction by having healthy food in the house and healthy snacks at work. And I need to increase friction by not having candy in the house or in my office! Out of sight, out of mind. In sight, and I eat it. :) (which of course reminds me of the Dad joke I often tell my girls: "I'm on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it...)6. "Use temptation bundling. Pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do." This is a powerful concept. I put this in practice by only "watching TV" when I'm on the treadmill. I am able to run at a 6 MPH pace and watch TV or videos on the iPad when I'm on a treadmill. So, I generally only watch sporting events or movies or 80s music videos on YouTube when I'm running on the treadmill. This approach actually allows me to run longer if I want to watch a full half of a game, for example. And 80s music videos will often give me the energy to run that extra mile. :) Think about a new habit you want to start and how you can bundle it with an action you're already taking. Stack them together - i.e. habit stacking.7. "Use a habit tracker. Keep track of your habit streak and 'don't break the chain.'" Atomic Habits does a nice job of explaining the importance of tracking your habits for success. What gets measured gets managed. One of my favorite habit trackers is a FitBit/Apple Watch, which tracks steps, heart rate, sleep, weight and can even track food intake/calories, if you input this data. My behavior definitely changes thanks to these habit trackers. Atomic Habits gives you additional habit tracker resources.8. "Never miss twice. When you forget to do a habit, make sure you get back on track immediately." We all will have days where we fall off the bandwagon and our habits go in reverse. Well, that's okay for one day. Don't let it happen twice. Get back on track as soon as possible. (And, yes, sometimes we miss a habit two days in row. Just don't let it become three days...)9. Author James Clear gets to the point quickly in Atomic Habits and with actionable advice. James has been blogging about habits, health, happiness, creativity and productivity since 2012. Check out a sampling of his writing at his website. James is also fun to follow on Twitter. Atomic Habits has 20 relatively short chapters that open with compelling stories and end with helpful chapter summaries. If you listen to books on Audible, I highly recommend the audio book as James reads this book very passionately.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2018
One of the core concepts in Atomic Habits is to focus on the small improvement. The impact a 1% improvement per day can make may appear negligible at first, but Clear makes a compelling argument that in the case of habits, thinking small produces the biggest results over time. "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement," explains Clear.
Over the months and years, the accumulated effect of small habitual daily behaviors is staggering. Early in the book we are also warned that this compounding works both ways, so we'd better make sure we're making it work in the positive direction, not for the negative.
This is a concept I was introduced to years ago under a different name - Kaizen - the Japanese term for continuous incremental improvement. What's different and new in this book is how the concept is applied specifically to building habits.
I found the information introduced in chapter two about behavior change at the identity level to be spot-on. You're also given a simple two-step process for changing your identity and this one idea alone is incredibly powerful.
In chapter three, we are introduced to the habit loop - cue, craving, response, reward - and we learn how to build good habits in 4 simple steps and break bad habits in 4 simple steps.
One of those steps to habit formation, which goes hand in hand with the 1% concept, is how to make it not only small, but easy. In the chapters that follow, this is exactly what you find out.
Other ideas of great value that stood out included, habit stacking (the best way to form a new habit), habit tracking, habit shaping and how to design your environment - physical and social - for habit building success. You learn the truth about self-control, how to stop procrastinating and how to use implementation intentions, temptation bundling and motivational rituals. The book is simply packed with actionable ideas, tactics and strategies.
Virtually every idea in the book is useful and resonated with me. While I may not agree that we should "forget about goals," I agree with one of Clear's core principles in the book - that we must develop systems for change. If we only focus on goals and don't develop systems and a focus on the process, we risk falling into a number of goal-related traps which ultimately lead to stagnation. With the right systems, we're rewarded with continuous improvement on a lifelong journey of success.
Another difference between Atomic Habits and other books in this genre is that while it's based on science it doesn't bog you down with unnecessary details of the research. Clear's book is intensely practical, giving you a huge toolkit of organized and named strategies you can apply immediately to create and strengthen positive habits and stop the negative ones.
The book is conversational, and includes many interesting stories, making it easy to read - and hard to put down (I read it cover to cover in one day).
It's possible this might become your most highlighted personal improvement book because every page is so chocked full of memorable and quotable gems of advice.
Huge toolkit of actionable, practical, organized strategies to build positive habits
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2018
I've read a lot of books on changing behavior and building habits and James Clear's Atomic Habits is my new favorite. This book is different from others in the way it covers an enormous amount of ground in the larger area of self-improvement while seamlessly tying all these ideas back into the central theme of habits.Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2018
One of the core concepts in Atomic Habits is to focus on the small improvement. The impact a 1% improvement per day can make may appear negligible at first, but Clear makes a compelling argument that in the case of habits, thinking small produces the biggest results over time. "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement," explains Clear.
Over the months and years, the accumulated effect of small habitual daily behaviors is staggering. Early in the book we are also warned that this compounding works both ways, so we'd better make sure we're making it work in the positive direction, not for the negative.
This is a concept I was introduced to years ago under a different name - Kaizen - the Japanese term for continuous incremental improvement. What's different and new in this book is how the concept is applied specifically to building habits.
I found the information introduced in chapter two about behavior change at the identity level to be spot-on. You're also given a simple two-step process for changing your identity and this one idea alone is incredibly powerful.
In chapter three, we are introduced to the habit loop - cue, craving, response, reward - and we learn how to build good habits in 4 simple steps and break bad habits in 4 simple steps.
One of those steps to habit formation, which goes hand in hand with the 1% concept, is how to make it not only small, but easy. In the chapters that follow, this is exactly what you find out.
Other ideas of great value that stood out included, habit stacking (the best way to form a new habit), habit tracking, habit shaping and how to design your environment - physical and social - for habit building success. You learn the truth about self-control, how to stop procrastinating and how to use implementation intentions, temptation bundling and motivational rituals. The book is simply packed with actionable ideas, tactics and strategies.
Virtually every idea in the book is useful and resonated with me. While I may not agree that we should "forget about goals," I agree with one of Clear's core principles in the book - that we must develop systems for change. If we only focus on goals and don't develop systems and a focus on the process, we risk falling into a number of goal-related traps which ultimately lead to stagnation. With the right systems, we're rewarded with continuous improvement on a lifelong journey of success.
Another difference between Atomic Habits and other books in this genre is that while it's based on science it doesn't bog you down with unnecessary details of the research. Clear's book is intensely practical, giving you a huge toolkit of organized and named strategies you can apply immediately to create and strengthen positive habits and stop the negative ones.
The book is conversational, and includes many interesting stories, making it easy to read - and hard to put down (I read it cover to cover in one day).
It's possible this might become your most highlighted personal improvement book because every page is so chocked full of memorable and quotable gems of advice.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2024
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2024
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
Another refreshing aspect is that the book covers how habits are formed, whether good or bad and how to keep the good ones.
As is my custom, when reading most books, is to read through the table of contents. When I came upon chapter 20 titled "The Downside of Creating of Creating Good Habits". So that's where I started but certainly not where I finished.
Although I'm only at the beginning of chapter 4, entitled "The Man Who Didn't Look Right", I'm finding it a very interesting and helpful read.
Atomic Habits consists of 306 pages which includes the index.
Another interesting aspect of this book is the Notes section. It contains a detailed list of notes, references and citations towards the back that covers each chapter.
Would I recommend this book. Yes and no. This should not be considered a quick read. It's a book that takes time to imbibe and practice otherwise, why bother.
I bought the book because of a friend's recommendation. I needed something more in changing my eating habits. To be certain, this isn't a diet book but rather an explicit way in going from bad habits to good ones. As I once heard, life's a journey because a trip is too short.
The only reason I gave it a four star rating is because I prefer hardback books without dust jackets. They only serve to getting in the way. I do read them but then off to the trash they go.
Includes author's story for writing this book
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
It was a nice surprise to read about the reason behind the writing of this book.Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
Another refreshing aspect is that the book covers how habits are formed, whether good or bad and how to keep the good ones.
As is my custom, when reading most books, is to read through the table of contents. When I came upon chapter 20 titled "The Downside of Creating of Creating Good Habits". So that's where I started but certainly not where I finished.
Although I'm only at the beginning of chapter 4, entitled "The Man Who Didn't Look Right", I'm finding it a very interesting and helpful read.
Atomic Habits consists of 306 pages which includes the index.
Another interesting aspect of this book is the Notes section. It contains a detailed list of notes, references and citations towards the back that covers each chapter.
Would I recommend this book. Yes and no. This should not be considered a quick read. It's a book that takes time to imbibe and practice otherwise, why bother.
I bought the book because of a friend's recommendation. I needed something more in changing my eating habits. To be certain, this isn't a diet book but rather an explicit way in going from bad habits to good ones. As I once heard, life's a journey because a trip is too short.
The only reason I gave it a four star rating is because I prefer hardback books without dust jackets. They only serve to getting in the way. I do read them but then off to the trash they go.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Ariel W
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones 📚💪
Reviewed in Canada on July 11, 2024
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