Atomic Habits by James Clear - A Book Review

Read the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. Here are some interesting nuggets from the book. James recommends identity-based habits instead of outcome-based habits. So, if you want to reduce weight, you can say you want to get rid of 4 kilos (outcome-based). Or you can say that “I am a healthy person” (identity-based). Once you decide that you are a healthy person, you inculcate all habits of a healthy person like exercising regularly, eating right, and monitoring your weight. So, you have to decide who you wish to become and follow processes that help you achieve that identity. The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity. Decide the type of person you wish to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins. 

However, James warns that there is a valley of disappointment whenever we start practicing a new good habit. The positive outcomes are not immediate. He draws upon the analogy of an ice cube that sits on a table and you are watching it melt. The temperature of the room rises bit by bit from twenty-six degrees to thirty-one degrees. The ice does not melt, and you may be disappointed. But, when the temperature reaches thirty-two degrees, the ice suddenly begins to melt. Similarly, the good results of small, atomic habits take time to manifest.

James outlines four simple steps that lead to habit formation – 1. Cue, 2. Craving, 3. Response, 4. Reward. Cue and craving make up the problem phase. Response and reward make up the solution phase. For example, Problem Phase is: You hit a stumbling block on a project at work (cue); You feel stuck and want to relieve your frustration (craving). The Solution phase is: You pull out your phone and check social media (response); You satisfy your craving to feel relieved (reward). Checking social media becomes associated with feeling stalled at work. Before a habit forms, the happiness chemical dopamine is released at the reward stage. But once a habit is formed, dopamine is released immediately after the cue is recognized.

To create a good habit, James asks us to make it obvious; make it attractive; make it easy; make it satisfying. He suggests a lot of techniques and tools to achieve this. First, he asks us to write down our Habit Scorecard. It will be the list of all major activities you perform from dawn to dusk. This gives you an idea of what habits you would like to continue, and what habits you would like to get rid of. When I wrote my Habit Scorecard, I became conscious of bad habits like biting my nails, scrolling social media, and eating sweets.

Sample Habit Scorecard

He asks us to write an implementation intention. I will [Behavior] at [Time] in [Location]. Implementation intention for exercise: I will exercise for one hour at 5 p.m. in my local gym. Every habit is context-dependent. So, we have to redesign our environment and reduce cues that tempt us. We imitate the habits of those who are close to us, habits followed by many people, and habits of the powerful. One of the most effective things you can do to build better habits is to join a culture where your desired behavior is the normal behavior.

Habits are formed based on the frequency and not time. A commitment device is a choice you make in the present that controls your future. For example, Victor Hugo was falling back on his book writing deadline as he was pursuing other projects and entertaining guests. So, when the publisher set a revised deadline, Hugo locked all his clothes in a closet. He wore only a large shawl. As a result, he could not go out or meet guests. So, he wrote furiously and completed his book The Hunchback of Notre Dame on time.

Dopamine Spike - A. Before Habit Formation, B. After Habit Formation

A weightlifting coach told James about what made outstanding champions. He said, “At some point, it comes down to who can handle the boredom of training every day, doing the same lifts over, and over, and over.” The ability to fall in love with the boredom of doing a task repeatedly ranked higher than genetics, luck, or talent.

James covers other interesting topics like habit stacking, the Goldilocks rule, habit contract, accountability partner, habit tracking, and many more. He gives a lot of insightful examples.

I usually underline or mark a book for important points while reading. In this book, I wanted to underline almost every line as every point was interesting and important. The book has 271 pages of main content and is one of the best books I have read so far. Go for it! 

You can download the Habits Cheat Sheet at : https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits/cheatsheet 

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