Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Thought provoking book on how to put the change you want to see in yourself in action by understanding how habits form and using that your advantage to seeing the change you want.
I have always shied away from “self-help” books as they typically come off as superficial. However, I was intrigued by James Clear’s Atomic Habits book because I have noticed in my self how we are creatures of habit and I had been able to form new habits and grown to appreciate them as a form of meditation. I had experimented with the app Fabulous, back in college and something as simple as keeping a bottle of fresh water near my bed ready for me in the morning was something easy embed in my nightly routine.
One thing that the book re-affirmed for me is that the biggest challenge to forming or breaking habits is to address your own self-image. This is where it might seem a little new-age, but truthfully, you cannot successfully implement new or break habits if it clashes with your identity. If you are aiming for a habit that is highly aspirational but deep down you don’t really see yourself as a person who would partake in the habit, then you will have a difficult time reconciling with the challenges.
According to Clear, our self-image is a fundamental belief about who we are. It's a mental model that influences our thoughts, feelings, and actions. If we don't see ourselves as the kind of person who exercises regularly, for example, we're less likely to stick to a workout routine. It's like trying to force a square peg into a round hole.
There is a great anecdote about a bicycle team that was struggling to achieve significant results until Dave Brailsford, a new performance director, implemented a strategy of incremental improvements. Rather than focusing on drastic changes, Brailsford sought out small, seemingly insignificant ways to optimize every aspect of the team's performance.
This included everything from testing different types of handlebar tape to optimizing the team's nutrition. By making countless small adjustments, the British Cycling team was able to achieve dramatic improvements in their results. This story highlighted the idea that even tiny changes, when compounded over time, can lead to significant outcomes. It's a powerful reminder that success is often the result of consistent, small improvements rather than sudden, dramatic breakthroughs.
I will be using these practices in building this website!
I was recommended this book by the YouTube creator Ethan Chlebowski and he is a great inspiration of seeing the ideas in practice through his cooking channel. Below is one of the videos where he mentions how he is taking lessons from the book to forming habits to meal prep.