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Atomic Habits Book Summary

Book Summary

By James Clear




15 min
Audio available

Brief Summary

"Atomic Habits" is a bestselling self-help book written by James Clear. The book focuses on the idea that making small, incremental changes in our daily habits can have a profound impact on our overall success and well-being. Clear introduces the concept of "atomic habits," which are tiny, consistent actions that compound over time and lead to significant personal and professional growth. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying cues, cravings, and rewards that drive our habits and provides practical strategies for building good habits and breaking bad ones. Clear emphasizes the power of habit stacking, habit tracking, and creating an environment that supports positive behaviors. By implementing the principles outlined in "Atomic Habits," readers can learn to harness the power of small actions to make lasting changes and achieve their goals.

About the Author

James Clear is an author, entrepreneur and a self-improvement enthusiast. Clear formulates his work around striving to answer one question: How can we live better? As a Behavior Science expert, he uses scientific research to develop his tips for helping humans live better. Clear is also a photographer, with a portfolio of work spanning over 25 countries. He is a charitable supporter of protecting children and pregnant mothers against malaria with a portion of his earnings going to support these initiatives.

Topics

Atomic Habits Book Summary Preview

Key Insights

We all have our own routines that carry us through the day. On closer inspection, these routines are made up of repetitive behaviors or “habits”. In Atomic Habits, James Clear asks us to consider the nature of our habits. Are they serving longterm goals or preventing us from progressing? Clear argues that because the effects of these behaviors compound, all longterm outcomes are affected by them. He explains that in order to eventually live a life we’re proud of, change starts at the atomic level of habits.

Although changing your habits may seem like a small act, they can affect your life enormously in the long-run. 

Habits may seem like no big deal. When we imagine taking on running as a habit, we think of how it will take years to run any faster or longer. Our habit of sleeping in a few hours may seem like it’s not worth fixing, given those hours of rest feel so good.

But Clear points out that although it may only involve 15-minutes or an hour of our day, after a certain number of weeks, months, and years, the amount of time these habits are practiced becomes hugely significant. A year from now, you could’ve put in 91 hours running or spent 530 hours practicing a hobby in the morning instead of sleeping. The long-term effects of habits should not be underestimated. 

This is why clear calls them “atomic habits”, the foundation of remarkable results. As they’re practiced, they become easier and have increasingly large effects. Ultimately, it’s this daily practice of anything that allows us to attain any goals we set for ourselves.

Clear explains that although it may be hard to notice their effect in the short-term, we should still focus on pointing ourselves in the direction we wish to end up in by basing our habits around our goals. In any given moment ask yourself: are my habits supporting my dreams? If no, habits should be adjusted until the trajectory is right.

Your identity is made up of habits, so align your habits with the person you want to be.

An alternative way to think about these small changes, rather than thinking them as goal-based habits, is by seeing them as steps towards the person you want to come. 

Because our identities arise from our actions, and habits are behaviors we repeat on a regular basis, it follows that habits are strongly connected to our identities. Clear asks us to consider the person we want to be and the sorts of habits that a person would have. By shifting our habits to fall more in line with this conception, we move closer to becoming the person we were always meant to be.

A habit is an action performed so frequently that becomes automatic and developing new habits helps conserve energy. 

When you imagine the habits in your life, they likely don’t involve much thinking anymore. Brushing your teeth feels mindless, for example, or taking that cigarette break comes as second nature.

A habit, by definition, is a behavior that has...

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book summary - Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits

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