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Loved @JamesClear's Atomic Habits. When I read it, I thought, "this is going to change my life" but here we are a couple weeks later and honestly, not much has changed. So I wanted to really reflect on this...
Loved @JamesClear's Atomic Habits. When I read it, I thought, "this is going to change my life" but here we are a couple weeks later and honestly, not much has changed. So I wanted to really reflect on this...
Sums up the book. But how do we get 1% better everyday? 
Before getting started, here's a great quote to think about, "you should be far more concerned with your current trajectory than your current results."
When we can't see results, it is easy to give up.
The San Antonio Spurs have this quote in their locker room by Jacob Riis...
When we can't see results, it is easy to give up.
The San Antonio Spurs have this quote in their locker room by Jacob Riis...
"When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times w/o a crack. Yet at the hundred and first blow, it will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow that did it - but all that had gone before."
But how do we get to the point where we can hit that stone 101 times?
As Clear puts it, "We do not rise to the level of our goals but rather fall to the level of our systems.
What are the things we do on a daily basis to hit that stone?
As Clear puts it, "We do not rise to the level of our goals but rather fall to the level of our systems.
What are the things we do on a daily basis to hit that stone?
At the center of our habits is our identity. But there is this habit paradox. Once we make a habit a part of our identity, we will likely continue it. BUT, we get our identity from our actions since identity means,
"repeated beingness."
"repeated beingness."
So we need to act to make a habit part of our identity but we need to overcome the beginning period where it is not yet our identity.
Clear suggests a 2-step process:
1. Decide what you want as your identity.
2. Prove it to yourself w/ small wins.
Clear suggests a 2-step process:
1. Decide what you want as your identity.
2. Prove it to yourself w/ small wins.
If identity is "repeated beingness" the more small wins, the better. You're essentially proving to yourself that this new habit is part of your identity. Then, it will become part of you.
Write 100 words/day. I'm a writer.
Run a mile/day. I'm a runner.
Write 100 words/day. I'm a writer.
Run a mile/day. I'm a runner.
But how do we even get those small wins?
A habit is comprised of a 4-part loop. Clear expands on @cduhigg's popular Power of Habit, adding in craving.
1. Cue
2. Craving
3. Response
4. Reward
A habit is comprised of a 4-part loop. Clear expands on @cduhigg's popular Power of Habit, adding in craving.
1. Cue
2. Craving
3. Response
4. Reward
1. Cue
Reminds you about your new habit. See running shoes, think to yourself, "I should go for a run."
Key here: Make it obvious.
Inversion for bad habits: make it invisible.
Before getting into techniques: live a normal day and take notes about each daily habit.
Reminds you about your new habit. See running shoes, think to yourself, "I should go for a run."
Key here: Make it obvious.
Inversion for bad habits: make it invisible.
Before getting into techniques: live a normal day and take notes about each daily habit.
1b. Cue techniques
- Implementation intention: I will [action] @ [time] in [place].
- Habit Stacking: After [habit], I will [new habit].
- Environment: Put running shoes by bed.
Both of these are cues to get propel you into the second part of the loop.
- Implementation intention: I will [action] @ [time] in [place].
- Habit Stacking: After [habit], I will [new habit].
- Environment: Put running shoes by bed.
Both of these are cues to get propel you into the second part of the loop.
2. Craving
Key here: Make it attractive
Techniques:
- Temptation bundling: After 10 push-ups, check Twitter.
- Community: close people that push you
- Reframe: focus on how exercise makes you healthy, not tired
Goal is to expect the reward here
Key here: Make it attractive
Techniques:
- Temptation bundling: After 10 push-ups, check Twitter.
- Community: close people that push you
- Reframe: focus on how exercise makes you healthy, not tired
Goal is to expect the reward here
3. Response
Key here: Make it easy
Techniques:
- Reduce friction/priming: kind of like cues
- Master decisive moment:
- 2 min rule: when starting, do the habit in under 2 mins
- Automation: use technology for savings, etc.
Key here: Make it easy
Techniques:
- Reduce friction/priming: kind of like cues
- Master decisive moment:
- 2 min rule: when starting, do the habit in under 2 mins
- Automation: use technology for savings, etc.
4. Reward
Key here: Make it satisfying
Techniques:
- Habit tracking/contract: make notes to see progress
- Reinforcement: a new salesguy used two jars and 120 paper clips. After each call, he would transfer one paper clip into the empty jar. He wouldn't stop til done.
Key here: Make it satisfying
Techniques:
- Habit tracking/contract: make notes to see progress
- Reinforcement: a new salesguy used two jars and 120 paper clips. After each call, he would transfer one paper clip into the empty jar. He wouldn't stop til done.
These techniques are helpful and they give some good ideas about how to make better habits, but at some point you still have to eat the broccoli as @farnamstreet would say.
fs.blog/2016/10/eat-th…
fs.blog/2016/10/eat-th…
On the other side of the coin, discipline could be overrated.
I'm reading "The One Thing" and it talks about how we try to do too much. It is much better to focus and Pareto-to-the-extreme.
amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key…
I'm reading "The One Thing" and it talks about how we try to do too much. It is much better to focus and Pareto-to-the-extreme.
amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key…
This is consistent with more Clear articles: jamesclear.com/ivy-lee
- Do the 6 most important things
&
jamesclear.com/buffett-focus
- Buffett's 5/25 Rule
- Do the 6 most important things
&
jamesclear.com/buffett-focus
- Buffett's 5/25 Rule
I don't think focus and habits are mutually exclusive whatsoever, but I do think it's important to keep focus in mind rather than "optimize" each second of your day.
