A SYSTEM OF ATOMIC HABITS

A SYSTEM OF ATOMIC HABITS
If you’re having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn’t you. The
problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not
because you don’t want to change, but because you have the wrong system
for change.
You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your
systems.
Focusing on the overall system, rather than a single goal, is one of the
core themes of this book. It is also one of the deeper meanings behind the
word atomic. By now, you’ve probably realized that an atomic habit refers
to a tiny change, a marginal gain, a 1 percent improvement. But atomic
habits are not just any old habits, however small. They are little habits that
are part of a larger system. Just as atoms are the building blocks of
molecules, atomic habits are the building blocks of remarkable results.
Habits are like the atoms of our lives. Each one is a fundamental unit
that contributes to your overall improvement. At first, these tiny routines
seem insignificant, but soon they build on each other and fuel bigger wins
that multiply to a degree that far outweighs the cost of their initial
investment. They are both small and mighty. This is the meaning of the
phrase atomic habits—a regular practice or routine that is not only small
and easy to do, but also the source of incredible power; a component of the
system of compound growth.
Chapter Summary
Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Getting 1
percent better every day counts for a lot in the long-run.
Habits are a double-edged sword. They can work for you or against
you, which is why understanding the details is essential.
Small changes often appear to make no difference until you cross a
critical threshold. The most powerful outcomes of any compounding
process are delayed. You need to be patient.
An atomic habit is a little habit that is part of a larger system. Just as
atoms are the building blocks of molecules, atomic habits are the
building blocks of remarkable results.
If you want better results, then forget about setting goals. Focus on
your system instead.
You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your
systems.
W
2
How Your Habits Shape Your Identity
(and Vice Versa)
HY IS IT
so easy to repeat bad habits and so hard to form good ones?
Few things can have a more powerful impact on your life than
improving your daily habits. And yet it is likely that this time next year
you’ll be doing the same thing rather than something better.
It often feels difficult to keep good habits going for more than a few
days, even with sincere effort and the occasional burst of motivation. Habits
like exercise, meditation, journaling, and cooking are reasonable for a day
or two and then become a hassle.
However, once your habits are established, they seem to stick around
forever—especially the unwanted ones. Despite our best intentions,
unhealthy habits like eating junk food, watching too much television,
procrastinating, and smoking can feel impossible to break.
Changing our habits is challenging for two reasons: (1) we try to change
the wrong thing and (2) we try to change our habits in the wrong way. In
this chapter, I’ll address the first point. In the chapters that follow, I’ll
answer the second.
Our first mistake is that we try to change the wrong thing. To understand
what I mean, consider that there are three levels at which change can occur.
You can imagine them like the layers of an onion.
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