ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Clear is the founder of The Habits Academy. He is a writer and speaker. His book, Atomic Habits, became the number one bestseller on the New York Times’ Bestseller List. The book has sold over ten million copies and has been translated into more than fifty languages. Clear has been publishing articles about habit development and a lot more on his website since 2012. He is a regular speaker at the Fortune 500 companies. His works have been published in several renowned magazines, including the TIME and the New York Times.
SYNOPSIS
Atomic Habits stresses the huge difference tiny changes can make to our lives. James Clear mentions the importance of life-changing habits and illustrates how a one-percent improvement every day can go a long way in changing one’s fortunes. He explains how good habits can help us improve by about 37% at the end of a year. He has also discussed the influence of identity on habits and suggested ways to change that very identity.
The book is rather practical in that the author admits to how long it takes to form a new habit, constantly egging the readers on to focus on the process instead of the goals.
WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT ATOMIC HABITS
Atomic Habits is not an academic paper, but rather an operating manual of habits. Every word in the book is backed by scientific research. The real-life examples from diverse fields presented throughout the book make it so much more relatable and helpful.
One of the salient features of Atomic Habits is Clear’s four-step habit model, which guides readers to build identity-based habits. Another unique aspect of the book is the author’s formula to develop a good habit and break a bad one. The author’s honest take on habits, during which he mentions both the positive and negative roles habits play in our lives, is both refreshing and humble. He has credited experts with all the nuggets of wisdom in the book and taken the blame for anything that might sound foolish.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ABOUT ATOMIC HABITS
The author mentions that our environment has a direct bearing on our habits. It would have been much better had he touched upon the power of mind as an influence on one’s habits. He could have also discussed some other factors, such as willpower and lifestyle, that can be tweaked to fine-tune our habits.
QUOTES
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. The same way that money multiplies through compound interest, the effects of your habits multiply as you repeat them. They seem to make little difference on any given day and yet the impact they deliver over the months and years can be enormous.
All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger. Roots entrench themselves and branches grow. The task of breaking a bad habit is like uprooting a powerful oak within us. And the task of building a good habit is like cultivating a delicate flower one day at a time.
CONCLUSION
Atomic Habits is the go-to book for everyone looking to become better versions of themselves. The book acts as a friend to help us develop good habits and shake off the bad ones. The author’s notion that one can automate most of their everyday tasks and hence transform their life by changing their habits can be a game-changer for most people.
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A creative prodigy, Pooja sees writing as the best way of expressing herself.