Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James ClearMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I feel confident to recommend this book to anyone who feels like they need some inspiration for productivity, goal setting and routine formation. There are many books about habits but I doubt most of them offer insight like this one, I can not say for sure however, because I haven't read most of them. Here are some of the points that resonated with me, I apologize if it won't be very well articulated, I procrastinated on writing this review, but again, it was low priority and I do this only for fun, it is a beautiful Tuesday morning however and I feel like writing would bring me great joy now. Back to the book, here are some insights I found useful.
1- The most effective way to form or change a habit is to tie it with your identity. James Clear discusses that habits are powerful, not because they can help us achieve results, but because they can change our view of who we are. So, behind every habit you are eager to start or to stop, there is probably a deeper reason, you want to be THE person who does (refrains from) this habit, and it is more effective to focus on that. For example, instead of exercising for the goal of losing weight, shift the goal to "I want to be a healthy person.". And in accordance with that identity you choose your actions, so when confronted with a choice you'd ask "what would a healthy person do?". Every time you choose the healthy option, you reinforce your identity as a healthy person, to yourself. I find that this way of thinking about it is more liberating in a sense. I hate to feel confined and forced to do things, even when they are ultimately good for me, and adopting this mentality of identity change, whether to be a healthier person, a more mindful person, a "whatever" kind of person, feels more inline with the way I like to set my goals.
2- You are most motivated when you do a task right at the edge of your ability. When I read that part I was actually pretty amazed, it is a pretty simple idea but James Clear has put into words something I've been thinking about and struggling with for a time. When you give up on a task, whether it is a guitar lesson or a work assignment, and you don't find the motivation to work for it, it is likely that this task is either too easy or too hard for you. But, whatever the task may be, when it is in our "appropriate" range of difficulty, you feel motivated to do it. So, next time we give up on something, it might be useful to ask "Is it too easy? Is it too difficult? What should I change if I want to make this on the edge of my existing ability?" That is, if we want to stick with it.
The book is full of really good ideas, the biggest of which I haven't discussed, which is that atomic "very small that can not be broken down further" habits, if done consistently, go a LONG way, I don't plan on discussing that now but maybe in my future review after the second re-read (third read).
Most importantly, this book makes me hopeful and excited. Which is the reason why I re-listened to it. Maybe it's just me and I am weird for having a productivity book as a "mood-booster", but when I was listening to it on audible, I just felt more motivated to exercise and to find a more suitable routine and set of habits that work for me, and I love being in that state.
I highly recommend it to you, whoever you are! It's definitely a very useful book and there is something there for everyone.
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