Q: Why should you read Atomic Habits?
A: Atomic Habits is your guide to mastering habits. It shows you how to break bad habits and cultivate positive routines that actually stick, leading to long-term change.
How many steps are there in Atomic Habits?
- Four steps
Can you make big, leaping changes via Atomic Habits?
Yes & No!
It can show you:
- how to make small, incremental, everyday routines
- compound into massive, positive change over time
Why was James Clear having irrational fears?
When James was in high school, a loose bat smashed right into his face. Broken nose, dangerous brain swellings, dislocated eyes, fractures, his recovery took months.
What did he rely on because of his sudden fractures & get back on track in his baseball career?
To get his own baseball career back on track, he had no choice but to rely on the power of small gains.
Did he achieve anything by following this strategy?
Yes. In college, he slowly accumulated good habits and eventually managed to become one of 33 players for the All-American Academic team.
And of course, applying the same in his writing career, he wrote his best-selling book, ‘Atomic Habits’
What are the four patterns in executing a habit?
The four steps are:
- Cue (Anchor/ Reminder)
- Craving (Motivation?)
- Response (Behaviour)
- Reward (Celebration)
What are the four steps that we need to do to form new habits?
We should make the habit…
- Obvious
- Attractive
- Easy
- Satisfying
So how does that work in four patterns?
- Make the cue → obvious
- Make the carving → attractive
- Make the response → easy
- Make the reward → satisfying
What is the difference between the steps in Atomic Habits and Tiny Habits methods?
There are 4 steps in Atomic Habits, instead of only 3 steps in Tiny Habits:
- A — Anchor is for Cue
- B — Behavior is for Response
- C — Celebration is for Reward
James Clear has added another layer in between — ‘Carving’.
How to measure your progress?
You can use a habit tracker as a fun way to measure your progress and make sure you don’t fall off the wagon.
Just like Adam Smith suggested ‘invisible hand’ in play in economics, what according to James Clear is the ‘invisible hand’ in habit formation?
When it comes to habits, James suggests that the environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
What is the first step in performing any habit?
Prompt i.e., Cue
It could be external (most of the time the environment), or internal.
What are some examples of prompts/ Cues?
- Smell of a cookie
- A dark room waiting to light up
What does Carving mean?
It is the motivation to change something to get the reward. (Can we say ‘The Why’ behind it?)
Ex. Tasting the delicious cookies.
Ex. Being able to see
What is the Response then?
It is whatever thought or action you take in Response to the Cue, to get the Reward.
Why do you need Reward for every behavior?
Because it would tell the ‘feeling’ you get from your Response… either to…
- To do it again (reward)
- Or, not do it (punishment)
What are the examples of making your behavior Obvious (pattern 1)?
- Don’t hide the fruits in your fridge.
- Put them on display front and center.
How to make your behavior Attractive (pattern 2)?
- Start with the fruit you like the most.
- So you actually want to eat one when you see it.
How to make the behavior Easy (pattern 3)?
Remove needless ‘friction’.
- Ex. Hard to peel or quickly eat fruits — avoid it.
- Or keep it already peeled or cut in pieces for you to eat.
How to make it Satisfying (pattern 4)?
Pick the fruit you love to eat.
So you not only enjoy eating, but also feel healthier as a result.
How will you use these 4 patterns to make a habit of exercise?
- Obvious: Pick the place where you can immediately do the exercise.
- Attractive: Choose the exercise that you feel like doing. Not pushups, but sit-ups
- Easy: Choose 2 sit-ups only that is relatively easy — tiny & atomic
- Satisfying: Yes, sure I will feel the sour and feel the effect from the cardio that it will give me
How to remove a bad habit?
Do the converse.
- Make it Unobvious
- Make it Unattractive
- Make it Uneasy/ difficult
- Make it unsatisfying
What are some examples James Clear gives?
Example for bad habit here → smoking
- Hide your cigarettes (Invisible)
- Add financial penalties (Unattractive)
- Get rid of all lighters (Difficult)
- Only smoke in the cold (Unsatisfying)
Few others could be…
- Put your phone in another room
- Switch off your phone/ mobile/ system/ internet after 11 PM?
- Remove the app — what may come!
- Allow yourself to mastrubate, if you feel like it, only in the bathroom. Don’t soil your clothes.
Give an example of how you will remove a bad habit?
Bad habit — don’t drink tea/ coffee/ milk/ refined sugar
- Unobvious/ Invisible — When ‘mom’ asks if you want to drink tea, say ‘No!’
- Unattractive — Think of the smell of ‘milk’ that you don’t like
- Difficult — Directly go for breakfast, instead of asking for tea/ coffee
- Unsatisfying — You can drink tea/ coffee, only standing outside. You cannot drink it while you are inside — sitting & sipping. That too without sugar. No enjoying with your tea or coffee. Making in unpleasant experience.
Give an example of how you will remove a bad habit?
Bad habit: Using phone while sleeping
- Invisible: Put the mobile outside the bedroom; Remove the apps — Youtube, Twitter, Chrome
- Unattractive: Removing YT. Alternative is to read books
- Difficult: If you are watching phone it should only be with the lights on or standing up, after
- Unsatisfying: No apps. No reasons to use the mobile.
Q: How can I track my progress?
A: Habit trackers are a fun way to stay accountable and visualize your progress. They reinforce the “Don’t break the chain” mentality, keeping you motivated.
Q: How do small changes lead to big results?
A: Habits are like compound interest. Small, consistent changes can lead to massive transformations over time. With Atomic Habits, you’ll learn to leverage this power for self-improvement.
Atomic Habits: Q&A with Practical Tips
Q: I have a lot of bad habits I want to change. Where do I start?
A: Don’t overwhelm yourself! Start by focusing on one habit you truly want to break or build. Once it becomes ingrained, tackle another. Remember, consistency is key.
Q: I find myself missing cues for good habits. How can I make them more obvious?
A: Pair your new habit with an existing one. For example, brush your teeth after flossing (flossing becomes the new cue). Set reminders on your phone or place sticky notes with prompts in your environment.
Q: My cravings for bad habits are strong! How can I make good habits more attractive?
A: Reward yourself for completing your good habit! Celebrate small wins with something you enjoy. Find an accountability partner who can motivate you and vice versa.
Q: Life gets busy, and sometimes it’s hard to make time for new habits. How can I make them easier?
A: Minimize the number of steps involved in your new habit. Want to exercise? Put on your workout clothes before bed to eliminate the morning decision fatigue. Batch similar tasks together. Dedicate 10 minutes to meal prepping healthy snacks for the week to reduce the daily barrier.
Q: I struggle to feel satisfied with my good habits. What can I track to stay motivated?
A: Track your progress visually! Use a habit tracker app or create your own chart. Seeing a streak of completed habits can be incredibly motivating. Focus on the non-scale victories. Track how much stronger you feel after exercise or the improved quality of your sleep after a good bedtime routine.
Bonus Tip: Don’t be discouraged by setbacks! Habits take time and practice. Atomic Habits emphasizes the power of small changes. By consistently applying these strategies, you can transform your life, one tiny habit at a time.
