Blurb:

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 15 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you’ll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.

Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.

Learn how to:

• make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);
• overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;
• design your environment to make success easier;
• get back on track when you fall off course;

…and much more.

Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits–whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

Review

I’ve long held to the belief of Discipline Over Motivation. I even have the Jim Wendler version of this concept hanging in my garage gym.

And yet, I seriously lack discipline in a lot of my life. So, I’ve been feeling motivated (ahem) to explore the idea of building the habit of discipline, trying to treat it as a skill that can be developed, not just something you have or have not.

Well, dive into any corner that explores the concept of discipline and James Clear’s Atomic Habits comes up pretty quickly. So, here we are.

Atomic Habits is mostly about systems, which means it speaks directly to me. Systems was even the final word in my major, and if you saw my spreadsheet and document filings, you would be blown away. Even those who think they have an idea don’t have an idea. That being said, the majority of the book was not new material for me. I would even venture to say if a majority of this was new to you, then you have not made it far in life. Then again, I may be the weird one with my systems.

However, while none of this was new, it was a reminder to get back to some systems I have let fall to the wayside and should not have. I consider this a wake up call to get back to some stuff I know works for me. Tracking, negative reinforcement systems through habit contracts, etc. I have also got to get better at single focusing. One task at a time. I’m a to-do list nut, and have recently begun playing around with some AI task scheduling stuff, namely Reclaim right now.

A lot of times with a book like this, I send myself email notes as I’m often listening while walking the dog. My first dog walk every day is my audiobook time, a minimum of 20 minutes a day. I do this in the mornings and then my physical book reading in the evenings. It is one habit I have very little trouble sticking with. Anyway, I thought I would share my notes from this one below.

Notes

Systems over goals

Referenced Walsh in chapter one

Theory of compound interest

“You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems”. 

Start by defining your identity.

“I am an active strength athlete.”

Do not just accept an identity you have previously believed. Do not let self image get in your way. 

Identity is born out of habits. 

Habits help you believe in your identity. Repeated actions reinforce. 

Outcome change, process change, identity change. 

Actually track and score your habits. 

Write down intentions for habits. When and where to take action. “Implementation intention”. I will <behavior> at <time>.

Use habit stacking. 

Motivation is overrated. Environment is more important. Be the architect of your environment, not the victim. 

Make it obvious, or make it invincible. 

1.1 Fill out habit score card.

1.2 Use implementation intentions.

1.3 Habit stacking

1.4 Design environment

1.4b Reduce exposure to queues to bad habits. 

Temptation bundling. 

The habits of the close, surround yourself with people who have the habits you want to exhibit

The habits of the many. 

Imitating the habits of the powerful. 

2.1 Use temptation stacking by pairing an action you want to do with an action you need to do.

2.2 Join a culture where your desired behavior is the norm. 

2.3 Create a motivation ritual by  doing something you enjoy immediately before the difficult habit.

2.4 Refrain your mindset by highlighting the benefits of avoiding your bad habits. 

Third law–Make it easy

3.1 Reduce friction between you and your good habits.

3.2 Prime the environment

3.3 Master the decisive moment

3.4 Use the two-minute rule

3.5 Automate habits

Inversion Make it difficult

3.6 Increase friction between you and bad habits

3.7 Us e a commitment habit. 

Incentives can start a habit, identity can sustain a habit.

Fourth law of behavior change is make it satisfying. We are more likely to repeat a behavior when it is satisfying.

Habit contracts and accountability partners.

Make it satisfying

4.1 Use reinforcement

4.2 Make doing nothing enjoyable.

4.3 Use a habit tracker

4.4 Never miss twice

Inversion of fourth law

4.5 Get an accountability partner

4.6 Create a habit contract

Line I loved, about genetics and luck.

“Genes can not make you successful if you are not doing the work. Yes, the ripped trainer at the gym may have better genes than you, but if you haven’t put in the same reps, it is impossible to say if you have been dealt a better or worse hand. Until you have worked as hard as those you admire, don’t explain away their success as luck.” 

Perform task right at the edge of your ability. Too easy gets boring, too hard gets frustrating.