Lessons from Atomic Habits by James Clear
This book is a great book on habits. If you want to break bad habits or form long lasting habits, this is the book you have to get.
This book started my journey of starting a reading streak in 2021. Fast forward to today where I’ve read on avg. 100 pgs per day for the last 992 days in a row and counting. This book works, and it has helped me become more consistent. That’s the key to growth and success: consistency. One thing I’ve not been good at, but my consistency has improved 100x because of Atomic Habits.
Here’s some key takeaways from the book:
1. “Habits are the compound interest to self-improvement." — pg. 12
On page 12, Clear provides this gem. It’s so true. The habit builds over time, and you have to be consistent where you get 1% better at that habit each day. Over several years, you’ll look back and see the progress you made.
Recently, I looked back at my reading streak and what I’ve accomplished. I learned a lot from these books, but I also applied many ideas/lessons to my life that 100xed my health, finances, and my productivity levels. It’s been 2 1/2 years on this journey, and it’s only the beginning. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next 2 1/2 years.
2. Consistency is key
Being consistent is the key to growth and success. I wasn’t consistent with running, and I wondered why I wasn’t. I loved the activity, but why wasn’t I running four to five times per week? I would go weeks, even months, without running. Then I looked at my reading habit. I remembered that I love reading, but I wasn’t doing it every day before my reading streak occurred. What did this mean?
Despite my love toward the habit, I had to do this habit every day or I’m not going to do it. I will procrastinate, stop reading, and become inconsistent with my reading habit.
I looked back at my running habit. I realized I had to do the same thing with running, so I started a running streak. Today marked day 141 that I’ve run on avg. 4.05 miles everyday.
This is how I became more consistent. I learned that activities I love doing are ones I have to do everyday or I’m not going to do them.
3. Procrastination
Procrastination over and over again leads to detrimental effect later on. What’s one thing that leads to procrastination?
Screen time (social media) and TV. TV caused me to procrastinate in several aspects of my life. I took out my TV for 30 days, and my habits became more consistent. Now, I’ll watch shows and movies, but I’ll only watch four hours per week if that. Before it was 40+ hours per week. Not anymore.
One thing I would do is to limit your TV consumption and social media time, and see what happens.
Another thing that leads to procrastination is people often are too burned out after work. After work, they plop on their coach and watch TV or do nothing because they’re too tired. They can’t get any work done. If this happens to you, the job is either too stressful/tiring or you don’t like your job. In both instances, it might be time to move to another job. Another option is to do the habits you want to do in the morning. Get them done, and then you don’t have to worry about them later. You’re more likely to do the habit in the morning, then at night time. Your body and mind are drained at night, so it’s a lot easier to do the habit when your mind is fresh.
There’s a ton more lessons in the book, so I would buy this book, read it, and apply those lessons to your life. My question to you is: what lesson resonates with you and why?
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