By: James Clear
Rating: 5/5
Review:
We all want to make significant differences in our lives, and we keep looking for a solution to replace our bad habits, and then we get stuck in new habits that can last us a lifetime. So If you are the type of a person who says tomorrow I will start… or I'm going to change this year... etc., without any progress. This book is definitely for you.
This book should be a manual for everyone looking for a fundamental change in their life. The book is not only focused on building new habits but also on shaping your identity by explaining the importance of habits as our beliefs and practices are linked together.
As change will never happen suddenly, so significant change will not happen unless you start with a small change, so the tiny achievement starts and then is shaped to be a good habit. It looks like an element made up of many small particles called "Atoms." That’s why the book is named “Atomic Habits”.
Anyways, having an organised and focused lifestyle that’s what define defines successful people, and this starts with good habits and then integrating it to be a system into their life.
There are many things to say about this book, but I will try to summarise it as much as possible.
Here are the four fundamental rules for building new habits:
1st rule: Make it obvious
To form a new habit, you should start by making it apparent and watchable. For example, if you want to adopt the habit of reading a book every day, you should put the book in a watchable and reachable place, or you can have an e-book on your device or use audible books. Also, be more specific by having a particular time and place to read, for example, set your alarm for a regular time just for reading and use your sofa in your room as the usual place for reading.
2nd rule: Make it attractive
Dopamine is the hormone for happiness and a primary driver of the brain's reward system, so link your new habit with a reward. For example, if you want to learn a new language, you should connect it with something you enjoy doing, so the equation will be, I learn five new words daily, and I will watch one episode of my favourite tv show.
3rd rule: Make it easy
Many of us struggle with procrastination by saying I can't, it's complicated, or I don’t have time to do it. It would help if you reformed your mindset first from negative thoughts, then made it practical by applying the "make it easy rule" by complicating the bad habits and simplifying the good habits. For example, if you check your phone the first thing you do in the morning, you should put your phone far or in another room, so reaching your phone in the morning will be difficult.
- “make good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible.”
4th rule: Make it satisfying
Link those habits with fulfilment and pleasure. For example, if you are a shopaholic person wasting your money buying unnecessary stuff, and at the same time you are dreaming of travelling this summer to your dream destination, the equation will be to have a scheme of every time you don’t buy an unnecessary thing, you will deposit a certain amount of money in your saving account for your summer trip, by this you will add attractiveness to your goals without forcing yourself to save money.
Pros of the book:
The book discussed how to stay motivated and focused in your life and get practical solutions when you get bored to achieve your goals.
All chapters start with an explanation of authentic examples and motivational stories.
The book discusses the Pros and Cons of developing good habits “The downside of forming good habits” is discussed in a whole chapter and detail.
Cons of the book:
Repetition: many ideas and examples are retold.
In conclusion, the secret of having satisfying and outstanding results that last forever is to start small and develop gradually and continuously.
