A THREAD on key takeaways from the book
"Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones" (must read book) by James Clear (@JamesClear):
1/
The costs of your good habits are in the present.
The costs of your bad habits are in the future.
"Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones" (must read book) by James Clear (@JamesClear):
1/
The costs of your good habits are in the present.
The costs of your bad habits are in the future.
2/
Good habits make time your ally.
Bad habits make time your enemy.
Good habits make time your ally.
Bad habits make time your enemy.
3/
With our bad habits, the immediate outcome usually feels good, but the ultimate outcome feels bad.
With good habits, it is the reverse: the immediate outcome is unenjoyable, but the ultimate outcome feels good.
With our bad habits, the immediate outcome usually feels good, but the ultimate outcome feels bad.
With good habits, it is the reverse: the immediate outcome is unenjoyable, but the ultimate outcome feels good.
4/
The road less traveled is the road of delayed gratification.
If you’re willing to wait for the rewards, you’ll face less competition and often get a bigger payoff.
As the saying goes, the last mile is always the least crowded.
The road less traveled is the road of delayed gratification.
If you’re willing to wait for the rewards, you’ll face less competition and often get a bigger payoff.
As the saying goes, the last mile is always the least crowded.
5/
As a general rule, the more immediate pleasure you get from an action, the more strongly you should question whether it aligns with your long-term goals.
As a general rule, the more immediate pleasure you get from an action, the more strongly you should question whether it aligns with your long-term goals.
6/
Your culture sets your expectation for what is “normal.”
Surround yourself with people who have the habits you want to have yourself.
Your culture sets your expectation for what is “normal.”
Surround yourself with people who have the habits you want to have yourself.
7/
You do not rise to the level of your goals.
You fall to the level of your systems.
You do not rise to the level of your goals.
You fall to the level of your systems.
8/
Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.
Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.
9/
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.
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.
10/
The purpose of setting goals is to win the game.
The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game.
True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking.
The purpose of setting goals is to win the game.
The purpose of building systems is to continue playing the game.
True long-term thinking is goal-less thinking.
11/
When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy.
You can be satisfied anytime your system is running.
When you fall in love with the process rather than the product, you don’t have to wait to give yourself permission to be happy.
You can be satisfied anytime your system is running.
12/
Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits.
Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits.
Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits.
Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits.
You get what you repeat.
Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits.
Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits.
Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits.
Your knowledge is a lagging measure of your learning habits.
You get what you repeat.
13/
The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us.
And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.
The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us.
And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.
14/
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
Be the designer of your world and not merely the consumer of it.
You don’t have to be the victim of your environment. You can also be the architect of it.
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.
Be the designer of your world and not merely the consumer of it.
You don’t have to be the victim of your environment. You can also be the architect of it.
15/
Your actions reveal how badly you want something.
If you keep saying something is a priority but you never act on it, then you don’t really want it.
It’s time to have an honest conversation with yourself.
Your actions reveal your true motivations.
Your actions reveal how badly you want something.
If you keep saying something is a priority but you never act on it, then you don’t really want it.
It’s time to have an honest conversation with yourself.
Your actions reveal your true motivations.
16/
It is easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change:
the fastest way to lose weight,
the best program to build muscle,
the perfect idea for a side hustle.
We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action.
It is easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change:
the fastest way to lose weight,
the best program to build muscle,
the perfect idea for a side hustle.
We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action.
17/
The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over.
You have to fall in love with boredom.
The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over.
You have to fall in love with boredom.
18/
It’s hard to change your habits if you never change the underlying beliefs that led to your past behavior.
You have a new goal and a new plan, but you haven’t changed who you are.
It’s hard to change your habits if you never change the underlying beliefs that led to your past behavior.
You have a new goal and a new plan, but you haven’t changed who you are.
19/
One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top.
This is called habit stacking.
One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top.
This is called habit stacking.
20/
Being specific about what you want and how you will achieve it helps you say no to things that derail progress, distract your attention, and pull you off course.
Being specific about what you want and how you will achieve it helps you say no to things that derail progress, distract your attention, and pull you off course.
21/
We imitate the habits of three groups in particular:
The close. The many. The powerful.
We imitate the habits of three groups in particular:
The close. The many. The powerful.
22/
A lack of self-awareness is poison.
Reflection and review is the antidote.
A lack of self-awareness is poison.
Reflection and review is the antidote.
23/
When you make your bed each day, you embody the identity of an organized person.
When you write each day, you embody the identity of a creative person.
When you train each day, you embody the identity of an athletic person.
When you make your bed each day, you embody the identity of an organized person.
When you write each day, you embody the identity of a creative person.
When you train each day, you embody the identity of an athletic person.
24/
When scientists analyze people who appear to have tremendous self-control,
it turns out those individuals aren’t all that different from those who are struggling...
When scientists analyze people who appear to have tremendous self-control,
it turns out those individuals aren’t all that different from those who are struggling...
...Instead, “disciplined” people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control.
In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations.
In other words, they spend less time in tempting situations.
