Atomic Habits Book Summary

Atomic Habits is probably one of the most insightful books I've read. Once you read it, you can tell why it's so popular.

Here's my attempt at a summary of the book, with a few personal notes.

The thing about habits: the path to long-term change isn't about making huge changes or having epic willpower. It's about taking small, consistent actions - and this is the core idea behind Atomic Habits.

1% Better Every Day

The idea goes something like this: if you improved just 1% each day, where would you be in a year? The math is mind-blowing. You'd end up about 37 times better than when you started!

It sounds sensational, but the math is clearly meant to illustrate a point. Little wins add up, and the resulting momentum can take you to a new you.

There are exceptions to this. In some cases, like when breaking a particularly bad habit, it can be more effective to just stop it cold-turkey. There are many reports of people succeeding this way, so maybe it's best not to rule it out as a possible technique.

Even so, you may need to use other tips from the book (mentioned below) to make the big changes stick.

Systems, Not Goals

This is another cool insight. We focus too much on goals, and not enough on systems.

Goals can be lofty, and super motivating! But they often don't take into account our current situation, or what will be required of us every day. (Also, they can lead to disappointment and depression if they're too unrealistic.)

Here's the thing about goals: they're great for pointing us in the right direction, but it's our systems - our daily habits and routines - that actually help us achieve them.

Once you've set a realistic goal, it's all about the journey.

We might think of it this way: my goal might be to run a marathon, but it's the habit of lacing up my shoes and hitting the pavement every morning that will make it happen. If I focus on building a runner's routine, being able to do a marathon becomes a natural outcome.

Becoming Who You Want to Be

Here's a question: aren't our habits simply a reflection of who we are? How we've chosen to be?

We act mostly in accordance to how we see ourselves and the world around us, whether we know it or not.

So what does this mean for our habits?

Want to be a healthy person? Start thinking like one. Make choices a healthy person would make. Take actions a healthy person would take.

Each time we make a choice that reflects what our 'hero' self would do, we're inching closer towards becoming that version of ourselves.

The Four Laws of Habit Change

So, how do we actually go about building new habits? Atomic Habits offers four 'laws' for this:

Make it obvious: You've heard the saying - out of sight, out of mind. The opposite is also true (somewhat) - if it's in sight, you might actually do something with it. Want to read more? Leave the book on your bedside.
Make it attractive: Find ways to look forward to your habit. Pair it with something you enjoy! For example, listen to your favorite podcast (pleasant habit) only when you're exercising (unpleasant habit).
Make it easy: Reduce friction. The easier you make it, the more likely you'll do it. Let's say you want to eat healthier. Prep your meals in advance, so that healthy food is instantly available when it's meal time.
Make it satisfying: Create immediate rewards for sticking to your habit. Celebrate those small wins. It'll make it even easier next time.

What about breaking bad habits?

Just flip these laws to break bad habits.

Make it invisible: Again, out of sight, out of mind. If nothing around you triggers it in your brain, it will happen less frequently. When there are only healthy snacks in sight, assuming they're tasty as well, why would you think about the unhealthy one?
Make it unattractive: Find ways to look forward to your habit. Pair it with something you enjoy. For example, listen to your favorite podcast (pleasant habit) only when you're exercising (unpleasant habit).
Make it difficult: If it's too much effort, you're less likely to do it. This is why so many people report that putting the phone out of reach when in bed seems to work quite well for improving sleep.
Make it unsatisfying: Avoid doing any rewarding activity along with the bad habit you're trying to break. If we pat ourselves on the back (metaphorically) every time we do a bad habit, it makes sense that our mind is in no hurry to abandon it any time soon!

A Step by Step Approach

Let's get practical. Here's a simple series of steps to follow, that makes use of everything we've learned so far.

Choose Your Identity: Instead of "I want to lose weight," think "I am someone who takes care of their body."
Start Tiny: Don't try to make big changes all at once. The smaller the goal you start with, the more likely it is that you'll be consistent. And consistency is more important than almost anything else, especially early in the habit.
Use the Four Laws: Use the laws described above to give yourself the best chance of being consistent with the desired habit.
Track Your Progress: Use a simple app or journal to log your habits. It'll keep you real about your progress. Plus, this way you're proving to yourself that you're becoming the new self you've envisioned in Step 1.
Be Patient: Habit change is a long game. Results can take time. Failure is part of the process. Keep going. Speaking of patience...

Embracing Failure

We all face setbacks. There will be days you slip up, or feel like you're not making any progress. It's normal. The important thing is to get back up, learn from it, adjust the plan, and try again.

Because it's worth the struggle to become the person you believe you could be. Your best self. Cheesy as it sounds.

Time to Take Action

In summary of this...ahem, summary, think tiny. Atomic.

Make it so easy you can't say no.

Maybe it's drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, or doing just two push-ups before a shower.

Whatever it is, go for it. Try it for a week. Or four. See how it feels. Better days are waiting.