RL 's Key Ideas from Atomic Habits
by James Clear

To successfully stick to a habit, it should become part of your identity. Follow these steps to change your identity:

1. Consider the type of person you aim to be. Ask yourself, "Who is the type of person who could achieve the outcome I want?"
2. Provide evidence for this new identity by taking small consistent actions and celebrating small wins.

Habits can be formed through 4 simple steps:

1. Cue: A trigger that leads to a habit, identified by your brain through anticipation of a reward.
2. Craving: The motivation to perform a habit, influenced by the anticipation of a reward.
3. Response: The habit that is carried out in response to a cue and craving.
4. Reward: Feedback from the brain that determines whether the habit is worth repeating or not.

1. The Habits Scoreboard: It is the list of your habits and categorizes them based on how they will benefit you in the long run. (+) For good, (-) For bad, (=) For neutral
2. Implementation Intention: I will [NEW HABIT] at [TIME] in [LOCATION].
3. Habit Stacking: After I [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].

Environment Design: Choose the right cues for your habits and make them obvious in your environment.

- Remove cues of bad habits in your environment - Ex: Hide your phone in another room drawer

The key to breaking bad habits is removing the cues from your environment. For instance, if you find yourself constantly checking your phone, try keeping it out of sight in a different room. This way, you won't be constantly reminded to engage in your bad habit, making it easier to avoid.

1. Temptation Bundling: Pair a desirable activity with a necessary one. Example: After I finish my chores, I will have a piece of chocolate.

2. Joining a community: Surround yourself with people who already have your desired habit. This makes it less difficult to stick to the habit.

3. Create a motivation ritual: Boost your motivation through an enjoyable activity before tackling a difficult habit. This will make it more likely that you will follow through.

To make your bad habits unattractive, try to change the way you think towards to the bad behavio. Ask yourself, "What is the benefit of avoiding this habit and why should I avoid it?"

Focus on consistently doing your habit everyday through repetition, not perfection

• Law of Least Effort: Reduce the friction associated with good behaviors
• The 2-minute rule: Make the beginning of your habit a ritual that takes less than 2 minutes

Use or create a commitment device. This is a choice/s you make in the present moment that will control your actions in the future. For example, deleting social media apps from your phone.

It states that what is immediately rewarded is repeated and what is immediately punished is avoided.

We should feel immediate success and satisfaction when we finished a habit, especially the difficult ones. Which increases the odds that you will do it again next time

• It is a simple visual cue that measures how consistent you are in doing your habits
• It is one of the simplest way to feel satisfied because making progress— crossing out your habits, is the reward itself

Tips:

• Never miss twice
• Don't break the chain/streak of your habits as much as possible

• A habit contract is an agreement in which you commit to a specific behavior and agree to consequences if you do not follow through.
• Involve 1 or 2 family members as accountability partners, and make sure they sign the contract with you. Decide on a punishment that is impactful enough to help you break bad habits.

When habits align with your current skills and personality, it is much easier to perform those habits.

When you are trying find or play the game, you should implement trial and error then ask yourself these questions as you choose different options:

1. What feels like fun to you, but chore to others?
2. Why you lose track of time?
3. Where do I get greter returns than a average person?
4. What comes naturally to me?

The Goldilocks Rule: When we work on tasks that are challenging but not too hard or too easy, we are most motivated. Keep tasks at the right level for your abilities.

Reflection and Review: Helps you to be aware in your performance every day. You should frequently review your performance and how your current behaviors serves you as life is constantly changing.

One small secret to get results that lasts:

Always focus on making improvements every single day, at least 1% improvement. It’s remarkable what you can build if you just don’t stop.