The book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear has revolutionized the way we understand habits. Since its launch in 2018, the book has sold over 15 million copies so far (as per the author’s website). While there are many books that have discussed the formation of habits, such as “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, Clear introduced the topic of tiny, atomic habits. He acknowledges how difficult changing a habit is and shows how tiny changes can lead to big results when done consistently.
In this blog post, we will discuss four main questions that will help better understand the concepts mentioned in the “Atomic Habits” book. These questions are:
- What are Atomic Habits in a nutshell?
- What are the main points of Atomic Habits?
- What are the Four Laws of Behavior Change?
- What are the lessons in Atomic Habits?
At the end, we will also provide actionable insights on how to start applying the knowledge you acquire from this best-selling book.
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”
– James Clear
What are Atomic Habits in a nutshell?
“Atomic Habits” is a comprehensive guide that provides insights into the process of habit formation. It offers practical strategies on how to create beneficial habits, eliminate detrimental ones, and strive for continuous improvement in our daily lives. The book underscores the idea that significant transformations in our lives are often the result of a series of small, incremental changes, rather than drastic, immediate shifts.
The term “atomic” in the title serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it signifies the minuscule size of the habits that this book encourages us to form. These habits are so small and easy to do that they can seamlessly integrate into our routines without overwhelming us. Secondly, “atomic” also alludes to the immense power that these tiny habits can wield. Much like how a large amount of energy can be released from a small atom through nuclear reactions, substantial and profound changes in our lives can stem from the consistent practice of small habits.
What are the main points of Atomic Habits?
There are four main points this book is centred about. These points are:
Small habits make a big difference
The book emphasizes the power of small, incremental improvements. While a 1% improvement might not seem significant in the short term, the cumulative effect of these tiny enhancements can lead to remarkable results over time. This principle underscores the importance of consistency and persistence in habit formation. It’s not about making massive changes all at once, but about making small, manageable adjustments consistently that add up over time.
Forget about setting goals. Focus on your system instead
Clear argues that it’s more beneficial to focus on the systems or processes that lead to a goal, rather than the goal itself. Goals are about the outcomes we want to achieve, while systems are the routines and procedures that will get us there. By focusing on the system, we can ensure consistent progress towards our goals. The book suggests that we don’t rise to the level of our goals, but rather, we fall to the level of our systems. This means that having a good system in place is crucial for achieving our goals.
Build identity-based habits
According to Clear, our behaviors are a reflection of our identities. Therefore, to change our behavior, we need to change our self-perception. For instance, if you want to read more, instead of setting a goal to read a certain number of books, you could start identifying yourself as a reader. This shift in identity can make it easier to adopt and maintain new habits because they become part of who we are.
Cue, Craving, Response, and Reward
Clear presents a four-step model for understanding how habits work. The cue triggers a craving, which motivates a response, which provides a reward, which reinforces the cue. Understanding this cycle can help us create new habits (by ensuring all four steps are fulfilled) or break bad ones (by disrupting the cycle at any step).
“Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.”
– James Clear
What are the Four Laws of Behavior Change?
These rules are derived from the four stages of habit formation and provide a practical framework for creating good habits and breaking bad ones.
Make it obvious
This rule is about making the cues of your good habits clear and visible. The idea is to design your environment in such a way that the cues for your desired habits are prominent and noticeable. For example, if you want to read more, you could place a book on your bedside table where you’ll see it every night before going to bed. The more obvious the cue, the easier it is to start the habit.
Make it attractive
This rule involves using ‘temptation bundling’, a concept where you pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do. By making your habits attractive, you’ll be more inclined to follow through on them. For example, if you enjoy listening to audiobooks and need to exercise more, you could listen to an audiobook while working out. This makes the habit of exercising more appealing.
Make it easy
This rule is about reducing friction and making your habits as easy as possible to do. The easier a habit is, the more likely you are to stick with it. For instance, if you want to start running in the morning, you could prepare your running clothes the night before. By reducing the effort it takes to start the habit, you’re more likely to do it.
Make it satisfying
This rule emphasizes the importance of immediate gratification in habit formation. If a habit is satisfying, you’re more likely to repeat it. One way to achieve this is through positive reinforcement. For example, after completing a workout, you could reward yourself with a healthy snack. This makes the habit more enjoyable and reinforces the positive behavior.
By applying these four rules, you can create a system that can help you develop good habits and break bad ones effectively.
What are the lessons in Atomic Habits?
Get 1% Better Every Day
The book emphasizes the power of small, daily improvements. Just as compound interest accumulates wealth over time, consistent daily improvements can lead to significant growth and transformation. Improving by just 1% every day may not seem like much, but these small enhancements can accumulate and lead to dramatic results over time.
Change Your Identity To Change Your Habits
Clear suggests that a fundamental shift in our self-perception can significantly influence our habits. Instead of focusing on what we want to do, we should focus on who we want to become. This shift from “I want to” to “I am” can make a world of difference. For instance, instead of saying “I want to be a runner,” say “I am a runner.” This identity-based approach to habit formation can lead to more lasting changes.
Start Small
The book encourages us to start small when forming new habits. For example, if you want to develop a habit of walking daily, you could start by extending your daily walks by just 10 minutes. While this may seem insignificant, it can lead to big changes in the long run. Starting small makes a new habit easier to adopt and stick to.
Introduce Rewards
Clear suggests associating a new habit with a reward to make it a positive routine in our lives. This can make the habit more enjoyable and increase the likelihood of it sticking. For example, if you want to develop a habit of reading daily, you could reward yourself with a favorite treat after each reading session.
Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits
Our outcomes, such as net worth, weight, and knowledge, are lagging measures of our habits. They are the product of past habits and behaviors. For instance, our net worth is a reflection of our past financial habits, our weight is a reflection of our past eating habits, and our knowledge is a reflection of our past learning habits. This underscores the importance of focusing on the process (habits) rather than the product (outcomes).
“You should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than with your current results.”
– James Clear
Take Tiny Actions
Now it’s your turn to apply all the knowledge you acquired from this best-selling book. Here’s the step-by-step guide to apply the lessons from “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
Identify a Habit You Already Do Consistently
This is your existing habit. It could be something as simple as brushing your teeth in the morning.
Choose a New Habit You Want to Incorporate
This should be a positive habit that you want to develop. For example, you might want to start reading more.
Start Small to Make Your Habit Easy
Habits are all about consistency, and one of the biggest barriers to consistency is not starting small enough. So, start with a small, manageable goal. If you want to read more, start by reading just one page a day.
Build a Habit Stack to Make it Obvious
Create a link between the existing habit and the new habit by performing them together or sequentially. For example, you could read a page of a book immediately after brushing your teeth.
Make Your Habit Attractive and Satisfying
Use temptation bundling to make your habits more attractive. For example, you could reward yourself with a cup of your favorite tea after reading a page.
Make Habit Success Easy
Reduce friction to make your habits easy to do. Keep your book near your toothbrush to make it easy to start reading.
Make Habit Failure Harder
Increase the effort required to break your habit. For example, don’t keep distractions like your phone near your reading spot.
Track Your Habit
Keep a record of your habit to maintain motivation and monitor progress.
Find Your Habit People
Surround yourself with people who have the habits you want to develop. They will provide a supportive and motivating environment.
Change Your Identity To Change Your Habits
Shift your identity to align with your new habit. Instead of saying “I want to be a reader”, say “I am a reader”.
Remember, the goal is not to make a single, large improvement, but to make small improvements consistently over time. This is the essence of the “get 1% better every day” philosophy.
You can also download for free an Action-Step Workbook that discuss in details how to use the book’s principle to break bad habits.