ABS: Atomic Habits by James Clear
Athlete Book Suggestions -- May
ABS is back thanks to Rad!! My boyfriend has been reading more (which I think is so great) and was willing to share one of his recent reads. I haven't read this book, but his description makes me want to borrow it from him and read, and I hope it does the same for you!
Atomic:
An extremely small amount of a thing; the single irreducible unit of a large system
The source of immense energy or power
Habit:
A routine or practice performed regularly; an automatic response to a specific situation
It may seem like we need to make dramatic moves and changes to our life to become successful, but James Clear argues that this is not actually the case. In his book, Atomic Habits, Clear explores the power of how simple, atomic habits can lead to big changes and lasting success. We all have dreams and aspirations, but we may not know how to achieve them. Atomic Habits explains how small, practical steps can propel you towards desired outcomes.
Benefits of reading:
Readers will learn how to make good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. By merely hacking our environment, we can dramatically change our behavior. From placing junk food in hard-to-reach places to removing distractions from our visual field, we can escape temptations and increase productivity.
Instead of focusing on goals, readers learn how to focus on systems instead. Goals are about the results you want to attain. Systems are about the processes and steps that lead to those results.
Realistically, we cannot be perfect in doing our good habits and avoiding our bad habits. Do not let this discourage you. This book offers ways to stay on track with your habits even when you slip up a time or two.
Best page or chapter:
Chapter 3: “How to Build Better Habits in 4 Simple Steps” gives an overview of the practical ways we can form good habits and break bad ones. The steps of creating a good habit goes as follows:
1: Make it obvious
2: Make it attractive
3: Make it easy
4: Make it satisfying
The inverse works for eliminating bad habits…
1: Make it invisible
2: Make it unattractive
3: Make it difficult
4: Make it unsatisfying
Again, this chapter serves as a general overview of the steps you should take to become successful in habit forming and habit breaking. Each successive chapter will teach you the details of how to practically execute these steps.
My favorite quote: “The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over. You have to fall in love with boredom.” (Clear 236)
Success isn’t always sexy. You have to learn to fall in love with boring daily tasks. That is what will make you successful.
Key takeaway: Your environment can either work for you or against you. By strategically placing items in your various daily environments, you can make your good habits easier to execute and your bad ones easier to avoid.
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