Atomic Habits by James Clear

Genre: Self-Help No. of Pages: 306

“The secret to getting results that last is to never stop making improvements.”

The focus of the book is on “atomic” or small life adjustments that may be made by forming good habits and breaking negative ones. These changes, when repeated and built upon, can result in a better version of ourselves.

There are 20 chapters in the book and each chapter starts with a real-life anecdote on how certain actions had an impact on the life of the individual or a group being described in the anecdote. This builds up the context for the rest of the chapter.

James describes the three layers of behavior change in the book: a change in your outcomes, process, or identity. Each layer has a distinct focus: "outcomes" is concerned with altering outcomes; "process" is concerned with altering routines and processes; and "identity" is concerned with altering your ideas. Clear advises that we approach change by addressing each level, but that we must start within and go outside - beginning with the inner layer of identity, moving outside through our process, and then finishing with results. Perfection is not key, repetition is.

“If you want to master a habit, the key is to start with repetition, not perfection. You don’t need to map out every feature of a new habit. You just need to practice it. This is the first takeaway of the 3rd Law: you just need to get your reps in.”

Perhaps you have attempted to make a new habit as part of your New Year's resolutions, but by mid-January, you are already finding reasons to procrastinate and saying to yourself, "Next year will be my year, I might just ride this one out."

Clear makes a significant point on how habits develop gradually over time and how thinking is one of the most crucial success elements. You are a writer each time you complete a page. Here, small victories are crucial. To create a new habit, all you need to do is increase your reps; perfection is not a must.

This book will help you determine and realize the connection between your thoughts, feeling and behavior. It will help you discover a new direction in ways you would not have recognized or anticipated, not because you already have the habits necessary to get by every day.

After reading this book, you will have a greater understanding of who you are and how the world works as a result. It will also motivate you to change in order to become 1% better than you were yesterday.