You Can Do it!

Monday morning reminds us how important it is to choose a job you love. A positive thought in the morning changes your entire day.

Quote for the week

“Baby steps count, as long as you are going forward. You add them all up, and one day you look back and you’ll be surprised at where you might get to”

Chris Gardner

Cheat sheet from “Atomic Habits” by James Clear

Starting a new habit can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity for personal growth and positive change. Atomic Habits is a self-help book written by James Clear and published in 2018. The book provides a comprehensive framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones.

What does the author say?

The author argues that the key to making lasting changes in one’s behavior is to focus on small, incremental improvements, rather than trying to make big changes all at once. Clear calls these small improvements “atomic habits,” and suggests that by making tiny changes in one’s daily routine, one can build momentum and make significant progress over time.

The book is divided into four parts. Part One discusses the importance of understanding how habits work and how they can be changed. Part Two focuses on the four laws of behavior change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. Part Three explains how to apply these laws to create good habits and break bad ones. Part Four provides strategies for maintaining progress and avoiding common pitfalls.

Throughout the book, Clear provides numerous examples and anecdotes to illustrate his points and offers practical advice and exercises for readers to apply to their own lives. Overall, Atomic Habits is a highly accessible and actionable guide to developing habits that can help individuals achieve their goals and improve their lives.

How has the book helped me?
Atomic Habits helped me
– Stick to my habits
– Choose the right ones
– Helped me find a method to break the bad ones.

Take-home points from the book:

  1. Take baby steps
    “Breakthrough moments are often the result of many previous actions, which build up the potential required to unleash a major change,” James Clear explains in the book. Idea is to make small progress each day and never stop to reach a final goal.
  2. Embrace habit stacking
    Habit stacking is a formula for ensuring that your new habits don’t fall to the wayside. For example, if you want to do 25 push-ups every day, set a specific time like before lunch at 11.45 am, and add it to the calendar. Set the intention, say it aloud, and then insert the new habit into your routine.
  3. Space and habits
    Space and our habits have a symbiotic relationship. For office-goers, working from home becomes a new habit and has to be associated with a new space. As Clear said, “It is easier to associate a new habit with a new context than to build a new habit in the face of competing cues.”
  4. The “Two-Minute Rule”
    Clear’s two-minute rule states that when you start a new habit, it shouldn’t take longer than two minutes to complete. This rule definitely helped me with my workout routines. The more the process is ritualized, the easier it will be to continue. You have to start small before you move on to bigger and better habits.
  5. Try a commitment device or accountability partner
    Mobile Apps are our saviors. With time we even forget why we wanted to start a new habit in the first place. This is where a commitment device or accountability partner comes in. If are a shopaholic, take only $50 cash and leave the credit card at home.
  6. Make the habit satisfying
    Our actions and habits are dictated by our senses. The same tactic is effective when forming a new habit. In other words, when you’re starting a new habit, make sure it’s enjoyable so it will last.
  7. Reflect on your habits and progress
    Reminisce and reward once you reach a milestone. Our habits should be our motivators and keep us engaged in our goals. They should be something we look forward to doing.

Forming a new habit is a process that takes time and effort. But with persistence and dedication, you can make positive changes in your life. Remember that those baby steps will create a memorable journey toward your destination!