This is the go-to gift I give to my loved ones on special occasions. It is THE book that has most altered how I live my life.
Before I read Atomic Habits by James Clear, I had struggled with implementing habits. Having been chronically sick for many years, I knew I had to make changes to my lifestyle to optimize my health. But how?
This book gave me many answers—the first 1% change towards building yourself up. This was my experience with this treasure of a book.
A Bit About Our Insight Pages
The purpose of these Insight Pages is to share with you some comprehensive understandings on the leading thought-provoking books available to you. The books I choose to read and provide insights on have been carefully selected as narratives providing valuable understanding of the self and the world.
This blog post is meant to complement the insights found in the book in question. I have included some thoughts that have stood out to me while reading this book, wisdom that the author has so carefully crafted and thought-provoking questions to keep the discussion going.
These thoughts and summaries are not meant to replace the book. I would urge you to consider reading the book in its entirety if at all possible.
Highlighted Messages—From a Therapist, Friend and Human Being
** It starts with one tiny step in the right direction. Accomplishments in our society are automatically measured by ourselves and others. The momentous milestones are celebrated. Meanwhile, we forget that the real progress is done in the smallest of moments—the everyday choices that each one of us make. The main lesson to take away from this book is that the step that you will be taking in the next minute is the biggest milestone you can ever make for yourself (which you can continue to choose in the minutes coming too).
** “You have to fall in love with boredom.” p. 236. I have lived the majority of my life thinking that being bored equalled failure. Maybe you can relate to that. The revelation that boredom is experienced by all has allowed for more self-compassion in my life. It has also made more space for perseverance as it allowed for boredom to be viewed as a part of the path to success, not as a weight dragging me down towards failure.
Pearls of Wisdom From the Author
There is so much wisdom in the practical components of this life-changing book. It is a must read to really understand how one can shape their life with habits.
Nevertheless, I chose twelve (12) of my favourite quotes from this book. Of course, I have certainly missed many of the important messages in this limited list. But I do hope you enjoy the quotes that speak to you.
“I believe I accomplished something just as rare: I fulfilled my potential.” p. 6
“The quality of our lives often depends on the quality of our habits.” p. 7
“No behavior happens in isolation. Each action becomes a cue that triggers the next behavior.” p. 73
“Environment design is powerful not only because it influences how we engage with the world but also because we rarely do it. Most people live in a world others have created for them.” p. 87
“When changing your habits means challenging the tribe, change is unattractive. When changing your habits means fitting in with the tribe, change is very attractive.” p. 121
“The brain’s tendency to prioritize the present moment means you can’t rely on good intentions.” p. 189
“Habit tracking provides visual proof that you are casting votes for the type of person you wish to become.” p. 199
“We are always trying to present our best selves to the world.” p. 210
“Pick the right habit and progress is easy. Pick the wrong habit and life is a struggle.” p. 223
“Really successful people feel the same lack of motivation as everyone else. The difference is that they still find a way to show up despite the feelings of boredom.” p. 234
“Stepping up when it’s annoying or painful or draining to do so, that’s what makes the difference between a professional and an amateur.” p. 236
“At some point, you will have to admit that your life was transformed by one small change.” p. 251
A Few Questions to Ponder Based on My Reading
What habit do I want to invest in? How do I cut it to 1/100th and take my first step?
Who is the person that I want to be? What would this person do?
How do my current habits differ from how I actually want to spend my time?
Other Resources
James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/
Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40121378-atomic-habits
Another Great Summary by Samuel Thomas Davis: https://www.samuelthomasdavies.com/book-summaries/self-help/atomic-habits/