Atomic Habits

From Atomic Habits by James Clear

3 Key Lessons

• Small habits
• Focus on system rather than goals
• Identity-based habits

4 Steps to build better habits

1. Cue: make it obvious
2. Craving: make it attractive
3. Response: make it easy
4. Reward: make it satisfying

4 Steps to break bad habits

1. Cue: make it invisible
2. Craving: make it unattractive
3. Response: make it difficult
4. Reward: make it unsatisfying

** How to create a good habit**

1. Cue: Make it obvious

• Write down current habits to become aware of them.
• Use implementation intentions: “I will [Behavior] at [Time] in [Location]”
• Use habit stacking: “After [Current Habit], I will [New Habit]”
• Design your environment. Make the cues of good habits obvious and visible

2. Craving: Make it attractive

• Use temptation bundling. Pair an action you want to do with an action you need to do.
• Join a culture where your desired behavior is the normal behavior
• Create a motivation ritual. Do something you enjoy immediately before a difficult habit

3. Response: Make it easy

• Decrease # of steps to start good habit
• Prepare environment to make habit easier
• Optimize the small choices needed to make the habit happen
• Downscale your habits until they can be done in two minutes or less.
• Automate your habits

4. Reward: Make it satisfying

• Use reinforcement. immediate reward when completing a habit
• Make “doing nothing” enjoyable.
• Use a habit tracker
• Never miss twice