Book Title : Atomic Habits
Author: John Clear
The book touches about the habits
and provides a framework on cultivating habits.
The surprising power of Atomic Habits : Habits are double edge
sword. Habits are like the atoms in our lives. Each one is fundamental unit of that and contribute to the overall improvement. If we get 1 % better each day for
one year, we’ll end up thirty seven times better by the time we’re done. This
make habits as the compound interest of self-improvement. Good habits make time as our ally, and bad
habits make time as our enemy. We witness people
making few small changes, fail to see a tangible result and decide to stop. Mastery
requires patience. All big things come from small beginning. The see of every
habit is a single tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts
and grows stronger.
Goals are about results you want
to achieve. Systems are about the processes that leads to those results. Goals
are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.
1: Winners and losers have the
same goals: The goals had always been there. It was only when they
implemented system of continuous small improvements that they achieved a
different outcomes.
2: Achieving a goal is only a
momentary change: Achieving a goal only changes your life for the
moment.
3: Goals restrict your happiness
: Goals create an “either or conflict” either you achieve your goal and
are successful or you fail and you are a disappointed.
4 : Goals are at odds with long
term progress : The purpose of setting goal is to win the game. The
purpose of building system is to continue playing the game. True long term
thinking is goal less thinking.
Habits shape our identity : Habits
are challenging for two reasons as (i) we try to change the wrong thing and (ii) We try
to change our habits in the wrong way.
There are three layers of
behavior change
- The
first layer is changing the outcomes : These are associated with Goals. Focus
on What
- The
second layer is changing the process : These are concerned with changing habits
and systems.
- The
third layer is changing the identity : These are associated with beliefs,
assumptions and biases. Behind every systems of actions are the system of
habits. The ultimate form of intrinsic
motivation is when a habit becomes part of the identity. Behaviour are usually
a reflection of the identity.
The process to change in
identity are
a.
Decide the type of person you want to be
b.
Prove it to yourself with small wins.
4 simple ways to build better habits: Behaviors followed by satisfying
consequences tend to be repeated and those that produce unpleasant consequence
are less likely to be repeated. A habit is a behavior that has been repeated
enough times to become automatic. The process of habit formation begins with
trial and error.
The process of building a habit
can be divided into four simple steps
- Cue :
The cue triggers the brain to initiate a behavior.
- Craving
: These are the motivational force behind every habit.
- Response:
The response is actual habit that is performed which take the form of a thought
or an action.
- Reward
: The reward serve two purpose –
They satisfy the trigger and they teach.
Reward teach us which action are worth remembering in the future.
Point & Call: One of the greatest challenges in changing habits
is maintaining awareness of what we are actually doing. This helps explain why
the consequences of bad habits can sneak up on us. We need a “Point and call”
system for our personal lives. Pointing and calling is a safety system designed
to reduce the mistakes. Pointing and calling raises the level of awareness from
a non-conscious habits to a more conscious level of verbalizing the action.
The best way to start a new habit : Diderot effect states that
obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption that leads to additional
purchases. Habit staking is a special
form of an implementation intention. Habit stacking increases the likelihood
that you’ll stick with a habit by stacking your new behavior on top of an old
one. This processes can be repeated to chain numerous habits together, each one
acting as the cue for the next.
Motivation is overrated; Environment often matters most : People
often choose products not because of what they are; but because of where they
are. Environment is the invisible hand
that shapes human behavior. Despite our unique personalities, certain
behaviors tend to arise again and again under certain environment conditions.
Behavior is the function of the person in that environment. B=f(P,E)
The secret of Self-control : Bad habits are autocatalytic; the
process feeds itself. They foster the feeling they try to numb.
Steps to create Good habits
-
The first law : Make it obvious
-
The second law : Make it Attractive
-
The Third law : Make it Easy
-
The fourth law: Make it satisfying
How to break a bad habit
-
1st Law: Make it invisible
-
2nd Law: Make it unattractive
-
3rd law: Make it difficult
-
4th law: Make it unsatisfying
Habits are dopamine driven
feedback loop. It plays an important role in neurological process. So when
dopamine raises, so do the motivation levels. The more attractive an
opportunity is, the more likely it is to become habit formation.
The role of Family and Friends in shaping your habits : In the long
history of mankind, those who learned to collaborate and improvise most
effectively have prevailed. The habits
are imitated in the following groups
- The
close : imitating the close, proximity has a powerful effect on behavior.
- The
many : Intimating the many
- The
powerful : Intimating the powerful
Habit Formation: Habit formation is the process by which a
behavior becomes progressively more automatic through repetition. Repeating a habit
leads to clear physical changes in the brain. Automaticity is the ability to
perform a behavior without thinking about each step, which occurs when non-consciousness
mind takes over. Habits are easier to build when they fit into the flow of our
life.
Two minute Rule: When we start a new habit, it should take less
than two minutes to do. The idea is to make the habit as easy as possible to
start. As we master the art of showing up, the first two minutes, simply
becomes a ritual at the beginning of a larger routine.
Goldilocks Rule: states that the human experience peak motivation
when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. Not
too hard, not too easy. Just right. The greatest threat to success is not
failure but boredom.
