Title: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Author: James Clear
Publisher: Avery
Publication Date: October 2018
ISBN: 9780735211292
Synopsis:
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
Atomic Habits is one of those books that I’ve been eager to read for years, but never found the time. A trip away with my husband and a quick bookstore pit stop later, and we picked up a copy for ourselves! I had a few positive recommendations from friends and so I had to read it for myself.
It’s definitely an interesting read, and now that I understand Clear’s concepts, I can see how many people in my life have picked up his insights and suggestions for living and improving one’s day-to-day experience. A lot of what he says is common sense, but it’s helpful to see it iterated on the page. For instance, he breaks habits down into manageable chunks and steers readers away from perfection. Just showing up is what’s important, as well as making desired habits visible, enjoyable, easy to manage, and satisfying. This process includes stacking habits to build on one another as a part of your daily routine, setting your environment up in a way that removes resistance from completing the desired behaviour, surrounding yourself with the community, culture, and ideas of the desired behaviour, and finding ways to design a desirable reward or result so you feel satisfaction after completing the wanted habit.
It’s an excellent how-to guide for creating good habits and doing away with the bad. It’s the first step in moving towards positive change. We often view change as something negative, but Clear outlines how we can reach the best versions of ourselves by taking small and incremental steps in the direction we want to go. There are definitely days where completing the desired action feels incredibly difficult and impossible to achieve, but on those days, just the simple act of showing up, even if the action isn’t perfect, is enough to keep you progressing forward on the right path. Additionally, he defines the difference between “having” to do something and “getting” to do something. One perspective enforces a chore mentality and creates an immediate barrier. The other perspective frames action in the form of privilege and the fact that we are lucky or blessed to be able to complete that habit or action. This is certainly motivating not just from a personal growth standpoint, but also for professional development and even parenting! These two items were my greatest takeaways from the book and are things that I personally already try to implement in my day-to-day life. Reading this book was an excellent reminder of my own desire for continuous personal growth and improvement. Clear’s concepts are applicable in a wide range of settings and ultimately are there to provide direction to those who wish to move away from where they are now and progress towards improved habits.
Happy reading!
Worn Pages and Ink 