Lessons from a Book : #1 Atomic Habits by James Clear


  • Habits are just automatic behaviours which help us conserve cognitive energy 
  • Cycle of habit : Cue, craving, response, reward
  • To build habits:
    • Make the habit obvious - keep a book on your bed before tucking yourself in.
    • Habit stacking - associate the new habits with already established one
    • Make the habit attractive -eg. having a social group
    • Make the habit easy - thinking about starting, rather than finishing
    • Make the habit satisfying - set up rewards, habit trackers
  • Instead of setting goals, change the system. True long term thinking is goal-less thinking. You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.
  • Missing a day is fine, but Never miss twice
  • Behaviours are connected. Stack the new desirable habit onto something you already do everyday. Make the connection very sharp - tie it to exact time and place.
  • Always be mindful of latent potential when you want to give it up.
  • Set up Identity based habits, instead of outcome based habits - eg. "I am a kind of person who keeps good hygiene "
  • 2 minute Rule- never start a new habit with spending more than 2 minutes doing it.
  • We imitate 3 kinds of people - the close, the many, the powerful.
  • Many of our habits are modern day solutions to ancient desires
  • Always design for immediate satisfaction , we not not designed for delayed gratification. Add a proxy prize for loyalty.
  • Visual measures - large and obvious and physical habit trackers - this is more satisfying
  • If we can measure a factor, it doesn't mean it is the most important thing.
  • You are genetically and environmentally predisposed to winning in some specific fields. Create your own unique game by combining your specific skills.
  • Boredom is the biggest challenge to habit forming
  • Machiavelli said - Men desire novelty to such an extent that those who are doing well wish for a change as much as those who are doing badly
  • The more we are tied to an identity, the more difficult it is to adapt. We become brittle. The best way is to not have a monolithic identity, but multiple small identities. A single belief / goal / dream should not define you.
  • Periodically keep checking if the old habits are still serving you.
  • Sorites paradox is the fact which we can not appreciate naturally, but our habits make or break us in small proportions each day.