Atomic Habits: How to become 37.78 times better at Anything

In today’s article, we’re going to dive deep into some of the key concepts from Atomic Habits. We’ll be talking about habit loops, dopamine spikes, priming your environment, and so much more. And make sure you stick around until the end because I’m going to walk you through exactly how I’ve been using this book to improve my own habits. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

Let’s kick things off with a little analogy. Imagine a ship setting sail from London heading to New York City. If the crew mistakenly alters its course by just 2 degrees, the vessel could end up docking in the Caribbean instead of its intended destination! That’s how our habits work—tiny changes can completely alter the trajectory of our lives, for better or for worse.

So, how do we harness this power? The key lies in understanding that you are your habits. Every tiny decision you make every day compounds over time, leading you either toward success or away from it. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that massive action is the only way to achieve big goals. But in reality, it’s the small, 1% improvements that really make the difference.

Let’s look at the math for a moment. If you improve by just 1% every day for a year, you’ll end up 37 times better than when you started! But if you get 1% worse every day, you’ll pretty much drop to zero. So, the habits you choose to build—or ignore—can either compound in your favor or work against you.

One of the most eye-opening concepts in Atomic Habits is what James Clear calls the “Valley of Disappointment.” When you start something new, you expect progress to be linear. But what actually happens is that progress is so slow at first, it’s almost invisible. This is where most people give up. They’ve been putting in the work but don’t see the results yet, so they quit. But here’s the thing: the most powerful outcomes of any compounding process are delayed. That’s why patience is so crucial.

Now, let’s talk about goals versus systems. We’ve all been told to set specific, realistic goals if we want to achieve anything in life. But Clear argues that focusing solely on goals is actually a trap. Why? Because goals are about the results you want, whereas systems are about the processes that lead to those results. If you ignore the goal and focus on the system, you’re more likely to succeed.

For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, that’s great, but what happens after you achieve it? You might lose motivation and slip back into old habits. Instead, if you focus on becoming a runner—making running part of your identity—you’re more likely to keep going even after you hit your goal. This shift from outcome-based thinking to identity-based thinking is a game-changer.

Okay, so how do we actually change our habits? It starts with understanding the habit loop: cue, craving, response, reward. This loop is the foundation of every habit. The key to creating new habits—or breaking bad ones—is to manipulate this loop to work in your favor.

Let’s say your phone buzzes (cue), you want to know who messaged you (craving), so you pick up your phone (response), and satisfy your curiosity (reward). Over time, the buzzing of your phone becomes so tied to picking it up that it becomes automatic. The more you repeat this loop, the stronger it becomes. The trick is to recognize these loops in your life and start to tweak them.

James Clear lays out four laws to help you do just that. The first law is to make it obvious. Most of our habits are so automatic that we don’t even notice them. To change a habit, you first have to become aware of it. One way to do this is by creating a habit scorecard. Write down all your daily habits, from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed, and categorize them as positive, negative, or neutral. This isn’t about changing anything just yet—it’s about becoming aware of what’s actually happening in your life.

Next, let’s talk about making habits attractive. Our brains are wired to take action when we expect a reward. The hormone dopamine plays a huge role here—it’s released not only when we experience pleasure but also when we anticipate it. By making your desired habits more attractive, you’re more likely to stick with them. One way to do this is through a strategy called temptation bundling. This is where you pair something you need to do with something you want to do. For example, only watch your favorite show while you’re working out. This makes the workout more attractive because it’s tied to a reward.

The third law is to make it easy. The easier a habit is to start, the more likely you are to do it. This is where the 2-minute rule comes in. The idea is to scale down your desired habit to something you can do in just two minutes. Want to read more? Start by reading just one page a day. Once you’ve established the habit, you can gradually increase the difficulty.

Finally, the fourth law is to make it satisfying. Our brains are wired to repeat actions that are immediately rewarded. So, find ways to make your habits satisfying, even in small ways. For example, use a habit tracker to visually mark your progress. Every time you complete a habit, mark it off on a calendar or move a marble from one jar to another. These small wins can make a huge difference in keeping you motivated.

But what about breaking bad habits? The key is to make them unsatisfying. Find ways to add a little pain to your bad habits or make them less convenient. For example, if you want to stop wasting time on social media, put your phone in another room while you work. The extra effort required to get up and check it might be enough to keep you focused.

Now, I promised I’d show you how I’ve been using these principles in my own life. I wanted to build a more consistent workout and reading routine, and I also wanted to cut down on my social media usage. First, I completed a habit scorecard to see where I was starting from. This helped me identify which habits I could stack new ones onto. For example, I now stretch right after brushing my teeth in the morning—something I was already doing every day.

I also made sure to use the 2-minute rule. I didn’t force myself to read an entire book in one sitting. Instead, I started with just a few pages a day. Slowly but surely, it’s become a part of my daily routine. And for my workout habit, I used temptation bundling—I only let myself listen to my favorite podcast when I’m at the gym.

For my bad habit of overusing social media, I made it harder to access by putting my phone in another room during work hours. To increase friction, I get my partner to enforce this habit. My wife enforces a habit contract where I owe her $10 if I use social media during work hours. It’s been a game-changer! And I set up a habit tracker to keep myself accountable. Every day I stick to my habits, I mark it down. It’s simple, but it’s incredibly satisfying to see those marks add up. 

By making these small, incremental changes, I’ve noticed a big difference in my daily life. And I hope this video has inspired you to do the same. Whether you’re looking to build new habits or break old ones, the strategies in Atomic Habits can help you get there.

So, what do you think? Are there any habits you’re struggling with or any strategies from the book that you’ve tried out? Let me know in the comments below. And if you haven’t already, go grab a copy of Atomic Habits—this book deserves a spot on everyone’s bookshelf. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next article!

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