Atomic Habits: Ideas for Sticking to Any Habit this New Year

It's that time of the year again. A lot of people are excited formulating resolutions and habits that they hope to make for the new year. We love doing this because as arbitrary it may seem, the turn of the year signals a reset and gives us hope that we can do better this time around.

I just finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, and I think this is the perfect time to share some of the ideas that resonated with me. And hopefully it can help you build those habits that you've been trying to form for years.

Outcome-based habits vs Identity-based habits

This contrast was beautifully explained in the book using two people who are resisting a cigarette. The first person says, "No thanks. I'm trying to quit." while the other person says, "No thanks. I'm not a smoker." The difference seems insignificant but the later sends a more powerful message.

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.
- James Clear

Most of the time, we're focusing too much on the outcome rather than a shift in identity or the way we look at ourselves. Any behavior that does not match our existing beliefs will not last. You may want to lose those pounds but if you don't change your view towards exercise and food consumption, it will be very hard to build healthier habits.

The Goldilucks Rule

When I looked back on the things that I tried doing before (ex. learning how to swim, learning a new language), I realized that I set myself for failure because I made it too difficult for me at the start. The extreme feeling of incompetence that ensues made me so anxious that I started to dread everytime I try to practice on these things.

The Goldilucks Rule suggests that to keep you motivated on a habit you're trying to build, you need to just keep working right at the edge of your current abilities. Don't make it too hard for yourself, but don't make it too easy either.

When you're starting a new habit, it's important to keep the behavior as easy as possible so you can stick with it even when the conditions aren't perfect...

Once a habit has been established, however, it's important to continue to advance in small ways. These little improvements and new challenges keep you engaged.
- James Clear

Do not rely on willpower, change your environment instead

Usually when we want to change something with ourselves, we think that in order to achieve it, we must exercise an extraordinary amount of discipline. Yes this is important, but betting on it alone would not be enough because self-control is hard. It will feel like you're constantly fighting and negotiating with yourself.

The people with the best self-control are typically the ones who need to use it the least. It's easier to practice self-restraint when you don't have to use it very often.
- James Clear

Changing your environment to make it easier for you to do the "right thing" or to make it harder for you to do the "wrong thing" is equally important. It's easier to have that morning run when you got your workout clothes and running shoes prepared the night before. It's easier to take control of your sugar intake when you don't have cookies in the pantry. It's also a lot easier reducing your unnecessary expenses when you don't have that online shopping app on your phone.

Life without design is erratic.
- Seneca

This is not by any means a substitute for reading the whole book. The book contains tons of insights that this blog post cannot cover. This is a tremendous book and I highly recommend it if you're interested in the subject.

Thanks for reaching this far. Happy New Year!