MCM Reads: Atomic Habits
I thought I had great habits. Then I read this book.
I eat well, exercise regularly, pay my bills… you know, a lot of adulting. But when it comes to the micro-habits, I didn’t realize I was setting myself up for failure.
Book review below:
Certainly, you’ve seen Atomic Habits in a bookstore or suggested on someone’s list of “must reads.” If you are someone who is interested in making any type of change in your life or even just be more organized in your daily routine, I highly recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Here are my key takeaways:
Willpower vs. Environment
Clear goes in depth about the psychology of your habits. It’s not a matter of your own willpower to change or create a habit, it’s all about the environment you create. Yes, it’s as simple as if you don’t want to eat cookies, don’t have cookies in the house. But it’s also as complicated as triggers within your routine. For example, if you always have something sweet after dinner, you have conditioned yourself to a craving.
Habits need specific cues
Clear’s research explains that you can’t simply promise yourself, “I’ll workout in the morning.” You need to be more specific or else the habit won’t stick. For example, you need to detail out your morning routine to say: wake up, brush my teeth, pour a cup of coffee, then exercise [in a specific location]. This is where I was falling short. Being too vague. Clear details how to take inventory of your every day routine and where exactly to insert small changes to create better habits.
Small changes will lead to success
We all want instant results. That’s how society is built now. But Clear gives several examples of how small changes in routine will lead to eventual success. And that being said, he also talks about the focus being on the system, not the result. By creating systems and routines, your habits will become a part of who you are. Success will follow naturally.
I’m posting this in January for a reason. Whether we admit it or not, it’s a clean slate. This is the month we get a fresh desk calendar with the future wide open. Our regular routine was thrown off from the holiday season anyway, so while we are at it, let’s make changes. Or maybe it’s just “on trend” to make a resolution. No matter what your motivation, this quick read is going to be a great guide for change.
