I'm reading Atomic Habits by James Clear right now. I've read the first 4 chapters and want to share the things that have stood out to me so far. It's been a really good back so far.
Introduction/His Story:
James Clear was hit by a baseball bat when he was a sophomore in high school. His face was smashed and he had multiple skull fractures and shattered his eye sockets. He went into a coma. He had a number of complications but gradually recovered. However, his return to baseball was difficult. He didn't make the varsity baseball team. He made the team as a senior but spent most of his time on the bench. Prior to the accident, he'd thought he would be a MLB player. He went to Denison University and focused on getting his life on track. He studied, built good sleep habits, cleaned up after himself and lifted wights. Six years after his accident, he was the top athlete on Denison's baseball team. He says of his experiences that he learned that "changes that seem small and unimportant at first compound into remarkable results if you're willing to stick with them for years." (page 7)
Chapter 1:
He tells of British cycling and how they were historically one of the worst teams but through a series of 1% improvements they became champion cyclists. Elder Michael Dunn gave a wonderful conference talk in October 2021 called "One Percent Better" and referenced the process they went through to make these changes.
James Clear explains that getting 1% better each day for a year, then you'll be 37% better by the end of the year. He writes, "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement." (16) "Making a choice that is 1 percent better or 1 percent worse seems insignificant in the moment, but over the span of a of moments that make up a lifetime these choices determine the difference between who you are and who you could be. Success is the product of daily habits-not once-in-a-lifetime transformations." (17-18) He also explains that our results lag behind our habits. We don't see results right away. But good habits make time our friend, while good habits make time our enemy.
He also explains that goals are less important than systems. Don't set a goal to become a pianist or to be able to play a specific song. Instead develop a system of when you will practice, how you will practice, how you will get feedback from your teacher, and so on. Pick a specific time to work on the habit and the exact process you will take to get the results you want. A system helps you maintain the habit long term. According to Clear, you don't "rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."
Atomic habits are small, simple habits or routines that compound into great results.
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2 is my FAVORITE. It's all about how our identity influences our habits and how our habits influence our (sense of) identity. Clear explains that there are 3 levels of behavior change. The first is to change your outcome...lose weight, learn a song on an instrument, run a marathon, etc. The second level is to change your process...set up a new exercise routine, developing a mindfulness practice, creating a system for keeping files organized. The third level is to change your sense of identity/how you see yourself and others. "Outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe." (30-31) You'll have greater success if you focus on who you want to become rather than what you want to achieve. Our beliefs influence our actions. "The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity. It's one thing to say I'm the type of person who wants this. It's something very different to say I'm the type of person who is this." (33)
We typically become what we tell ourselves about ourselves. "I'm bad at math. I'm an avid reader. I am courageous." Our choices line up to prove ourselves right. So if, for example, you want to stop drinking and someone offers you a glass of wine and you say, "No thanks. I'm trying to stop drinking" your power to resist is going to be relatively weak. But if instead you reply, "No thanks. I'm not a drinker" then your power to resist will be much stronger.
"Becoming the best version of yourself requires you to continuously edit your beliefs, and to upgrade and expand your identity." (36) Your habits shape what you believe about yourself. If you read virtually every day, you will identify as a reader. If you spend time practicing music you will identify as a musician. "The process of building habits is actually the process of becoming yourself." (37)
Clear says changing your identity requires new evidence and you get that evidence by deciding what type of person you want to be and then demonstrating to yourself that you are that type of person by exhibiting small, successful changes. Over time, these small changes will change who you believe yourself to be AND your identity and habits will be in line.
Chapter 3:
Habits are created as a quick way to solve a recurring problem. It saves time and mental energy to consistently solve a problem in the same way so your brain looks for ways to program itself...if this happens, then I will do this. (I feel stressed so I eat ice cream.) Having habits frees your mind up to be creative, solve more complex problems, and learn new ideas or skills. If the basics of your life are handled, then your mind can focus on new growth and challenges.
Four steps to build better habits:
1. Set up an obvious cue. Examples: Set out your exercise clothes, fill your water bottle and place it next to your briefcase, have the guitar in the living room where you'll see it.
2. Make the craving attractive. The cue leads to a craving...but if you want to actually have the cue lead to a new action, it must be attached to a craving that you really want.
3. Make it easy to give the appropriate response.
4. Make the reward satisfying.
If you want to get rid of a bad habit, make the cue invisible, make the craving unattractive, make the response difficult and make the reward unsatisfying.
No comments:
Post a Comment