The Number One Book for Building Better Habits

Each year when New Year’s comes around people gather to grasp their pens and paper to begin jotting out their new goals and plans for the new year. You say to yourself, “This year will be different, I’m going to stick to my goals once and for all.” Surely enough, the first few or so months at the start of the year go great. You're sticking to your goals for the most part and feeling like you're getting somewhere. But, somewhere along the story. you find that those aspirations slowly start to fade away. You're no longer eating as healthy as you said you would, you’re no longer going to the gym daily, and most importantly you're no longer sticking to what you said you're gonna do. If you're anything like me this story seems all too familiar. 

A couple of years ago, I found myself stuck in a rut. It seemed like when each year came around I would look back in disappointment at how little I progressed. All hope was lost, there seemed to be no way of breaking free from my bad habits. That was until I stumbled upon the book, “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

Reading this book changed the way I viewed decisions and habits. It taught me all about how to build better habits, and how to break the bad ones. 

Step 1: Habits shape your identity

The first key concept of habit building relies on identity. Your habits influence your decisions, and your decisions create who you are.

For instance, if I got in the habit of playing guitar ten minutes a day, I would then identify as a musician. Or if I built the habit of drawing five minutes a day I would identify as an artist.

To start building habits, we first have to examine why we have the desire to do them in the first place: To become better versions of ourselves and to shape our identity. 

Step 2: Forming Better Habits: The 4 Laws

There are 4 key factors to build better habits:

1. Cue

2. Craving 

3. Response 

4. Reward

Cue: The trigger for performing a habit. 

Craving: The motivational desire for the reward corresponding with the habit. 

Response: The actual action and behavior that takes place in response to the cue or craving.

Reward: The positive satisfaction that comes after performing the habit. This is what causes the likelihood of a repetitive habit loop.

Step 3: Make it Obvious

A cue is the first factor in creating a new habit. To form a new habit our minds need to be sent a signal reminding us of the habit itself. 

Looking at a few examples of bad habits we can see the cues that cause us to do them. For example, stress and anxiety can lead to smoking a cigarette.

Being tired or busy can lead you to get fast food instead of cooking at home.

Gossiping can be a trigger by wanting to feel included in social situations where gossip is common. 

All of these cues simply remind or give reason for us to perform a habit in the first place. So, what are some ways we can use this to build better habits? Let's take a look.

Habit: Read More: Have a book you want to read placed on your bed so you will be reminded to read.

Habit: Play guitar every day: Keep the guitar outside in a common place where you can see it.

Habit: Drink more water: Have your water bottle lying out on the kitchen counter where it’s easy to spot. 

Step 4: Application & Habit Stacking

The next step is to make a note of a specific plan for your habit.

An example of this could be— “I will go workout at the gym after breakfast at 8 am.”

Next, apply the technique of habit stacking. This involves pairing an existing habit with a new habit: “After I make my morning coffee, I will meditate for 5 minutes.”

However, my favorite strategy is habit stacking with temptation. This means getting a habit you need to do (that you may not like) and pairing it with something you feel tempted to do (something you have fun doing).

Example:

Needed habit: Exercise

Temptation: Listening to your favorite podcast or watching television.

Reflection: “I will only exercise when watching television or listening to my favorite podcast.”

Step 5: Breaking bad Habits- Make it difficult

To break a bad habit we want to make it as difficult as possible to do. This first means resisting situations where we might feel tempted, which means getting rid of the cues that cause us to perform the habit. 

For instance, let's say you get distracted scrolling through your phone while working. To help eliminate this you could put your phone on silent, and put it face down in a spot where it’s not visible. 

Or let's say you're often eating junk food late at night. Try putting the junk food in a spot where it's hard to access or get rid of the junk food altogether. 

To break a bad habit we have to make it as hard and as unattractive as possible. To form a good habit we do the opposite of this, make it as attractive and as easy as possible. 

Step 6: Repetition Over Quantity- 2 Minute Rule

The most important rule to building a habit is repetition, not the amount of time spent doing the habit. 

Clear recommends that your new habit should take no longer than 2 minutes. This may sound silly at first, but remember the most important step is repetition. It’s about starting from the bottom and working your way up. 

If you wanted to meditate you could start by meditating in the morning for two minutes every day for 30 days. Then after 30 days, you could increase the time to five minutes. 

If you want to start reading daily, try to start with just reading one page per day.

Start small and simple to stay on track.

Step 7: Make it Satisfying

With any solid habit comes a gratifying reward. Rewards help solidify the habit cycle by giving us something we can look forward to.

After you finish a workout, allow yourself to indulge with a sweet smoothie or a small treat. After completing a study session, take a break and do something you enjoy.

Connecting your habits with rewards will leave a positive reinforcement on you to keep doing them. 

Last One-Step 8: Track Your Progress

If you want to get good at something, track your progress. I started tracking my progress through a habit tracker. After each day I would mark the specific habits I accomplished. Not only is this rewarding, but it will also show you’ve come along!

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, maintaining and creating habits is more than just setting goals; it’s about creating systems that make success an easy guarantee. By understanding the science of shaping your identity, applying the 4 Laws, making habits obvious and easy, stacking them, and focusing on repetition-you can turn those fleeting aspirations into lasting changes.