Atomic Habits by James Clear

Change is hard. Even harder in a global pandemic. I’m someone who is known to be somewhat militant with scheduling and systems. A colleague once said I speak, think, and act in “bullet points” - fair. So this book wasn’t ground-breaking for me but it was very helpful in understanding the psychology behind why some people may really struggle to implement long lasting goals or change and some may find it easier. And why I may find myself attached too deeply to habits that do not align with my identity or desires. ⁣

I love the idea of forgetting about goals and focusing on SYSTEMs. How do you create systems, habits, incentives, and triggers to direct you on the path you desire? He’ll walk you through Habit Stacking - where you build in super small changes to an existing behavior in order to build consistency and positive association. ⁣

He also focuses on aligning habits with identity and the profound outcomes that can result. The more you repeat a behavior, the more you reinforce the identity associated with that behavior. Additionally, when you cling to one identity, you become brittle. Associating with traits, behaviors, and values will allow adaptability. ⁣

⁣This is a quick read and one I may read again this year. I loved the audiobook version and helpful quick hit chapter summaries. ⁣Have you read this? What did you think?

If you want the cliff notes version - this article was an interesting refresher: https://medium.com/@aidanhornsby/notes-on-atomic-habits-c021e38eeae7