Quit smoking, reduce alcohol intake, and exercise next year. At the end of the year or the beginning of the new year, everyone sets goals to make the coming year different from the current one. This is to become a ‘better self’ next year. However, as we all know, changing oneself is not that easy. Some people dismiss this as a lack of willpower and suggest making up one’s mind stronger and establishing habits.

However, the “three-day resolution” syndrome is not merely due to a lack of will to carry out habits. Think about how determined I was when I registered at the gym at the beginning of the year, promising to go there at least five days a week for the next six months. But when I’m buried in work, sleep in, and my aching body debates whether to drag myself to the gym or sleep an extra hour in the morning, no matter how firmly I made up my mind at the beginning of the year, my ambitious exercise plan ends in failure.

On the other hand, what if I had decided to do just 10 minutes of home training at home every day, without necessarily registering at the gym? If I had made a habit of moving my body for at least 10 minutes before showering, even on busy days, would I be more likely to exercise even when I wanted more sleep or after a night of sleeplessness, saying, “I can spare 10 minutes”? Wouldn’t this have led to the formation of an exercise habit?

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In many cases, the reason we fail to form habits is not because of willpower but because the method is poor.

James Clear is an expert on such “habit-forming methods.” The author, who serially published articles on how to effectively change our lives on his blog, published the self-help bestseller ‘Atomic Habits’ upon receiving a book offer. He currently publishes the 3-2-1 Newsletter to his blog subscribers, motivating people to adopt the habits they desire and lead a healthy lifestyle.

(The 3-2-1 Newsletter refers to 3 ideas, 2 quotes, and 1 question. James Clear sends out three short thoughts on his own self-improvement and success, two quotes for motivation, and one question for us to ponder each week.)

So, how does James Clear suggest forming habits in ‘Atomic Habits’? While it’s impossible to cover all the contents of the book here, let me summarize 20 key points in line with the book’s 20 chapters.

1. If you want better results, focus on improving systems instead of setting goals.

Ray Dalio also said something similar in his book, Principles. Consider ourselves as parts of a system and control the surrounding elements to make this system work properly. Put simply, let’s create an environment conducive to forming habits!

2. The greatest driving force for continuing habits is our identity.

Hence, it’s important to determine our identity. For example, instead of deciding “I should stop drinking,” believe “I’m a person who doesn’t drink.” Then, by rejecting drinking occasions and succeeding little by little in abstaining, you’ll give yourself confidence and ultimately accept a new identity.

3. The habit loop proposed by the author is as follows.

When a cue appears → a craving arises → we respond to it → followed by a reward.

Therefore, good habits should faithfully and clearly follow the four stages mentioned above. For this to happen, the following should be done:

  1. (Signal) Clarity

  2. (Habit) Attractiveness

  3. (Response) Ease

  4. (Reward) Satisfaction

The following contents can be considered additional explanations for these four elements.

Principle 1: Must be Clear to Change

4. Awareness is crucial.

We need to identify and understand our bad and good habits. Behavioral change starts with problem recognition. It can also be expressed in words.

5. Make habits specific!

Instead of vaguely deciding to do or not do something, specify “I will do 1) what action 2) where 3) when.” You can further specify habits by pairing them. For example, perform habit A after habit B.

6. Environment determines behavior.

Create an environment conducive to our habits. Especially visual elements can be a significant catalyst for us. If you want to adopt a habit, create an environment where you can frequently receive cues related to that habit.

7. Techniques for avoiding bad habits

The author says that people with self-control are the ones who minimize situations where they have to exert self-control. In other words, if there are factors that trigger bad habits, it is wiser to eliminate those factors beforehand. It’s obvious but also a challenging concept.

Principle 2: Must be Attractive to Change

8. Make habits enjoyable.

Habits are governed by dopamine-driven feedback loops. The more enjoyable something is, and the more pleasant experiences accumulate, the more we want to do it. Connect the habit you need with something you like. This traditional method includes examples like “finish homework in the evening, then play a game for 30 minutes.”

9. Habits are influenced by social perception.

We all care about the people around us. Therefore, if the habit you are forming gains recognition, praise, or respect from others, the habit itself becomes a positive experience, making you want to do it more.

10. Making it pleasurable to fix bad habits

Think about the benefits of not engaging in bad habits and make engaging in bad habits less attractive.

Usually, bad habits are enjoyable at the moment, even though we know in our heads that they should be fixed. But what if the act becomes less enjoyable? For example, if every time I order an extra bowl of rice, it comes with mint chocolate on top, causing me to overeat less? The example might be a bit strange.

Principle 3: Must be Easy to Change

11. Frequency is more important than duration.

If there’s new learning required, repeat it. Comparing someone who exercises once a week for 70 minutes and someone who exercises daily for 10 minutes, the latter is more likely to form a habit despite the same total time spent!

12. Take the easy route as much as possible.

Human beings are innate slackers. The phenomenon where the mouse cursor autonomously moves towards elective courses guaranteeing an A, instead of interesting but notoriously tough major courses, when deciding on final semester credits, is universally observed.

What we want are the results that habits bring. If the goal is a healthy body, not the exercise itself, it’s better to form habits in an easy way so they can be sustained.

13. The 2-minute rule.

If you want to form a new habit, start very easily at a low intensity for 2 minutes. If it’s exercise, do light exercise for 2 minutes; if writing, write a simple piece for 2 minutes. If this initial phase is difficult, the habit formation gets blocked from the start.

The main reason we fail to establish habits is that the whole process of forming a habit feels like a chore. To avoid that, consistently perform easy tasks for 2 minutes.

14. Make bad habits difficult.

Make bad habits harder to execute. If alcohol is an issue, place it out of reach. If the problem is frequently checking your smartphone, set triple passwords to make it difficult.

I often wasted time visiting unnecessary websites while web surfing. Many times, I regretted reading the posts on internet forums without realizing how time flew by.

So, I installed a Chrome extension that automatically redirects me to more beneficial sites when I access websites that I frequently visit (and are of little help to my self-development). I also hid the button to turn off this extension. It takes three clicks to turn off this app, making it significantly easier to self-regulate.

Principle 4: Must be Satisfying to Change

15. Immediate satisfaction is necessary.

Bad habits usually make us feel good in the moment. The reward is instant. However, good habits often come with delayed rewards. Therefore, add instant rewards to habits that come with long-term benefits.

16. How to repeat every day? Track your habits!

You can skip a habit once, but if you skip it twice consecutively, that’s the start of a new habit. Tracking habits can prevent this. Not only that, watching your consistent habit record is satisfying in itself. It gives a sense of progress. Satisfaction acts as an immediate reward for consistent habits and serves as motivation to keep going.

17. What if someone is watching me?

The author explains the concept of a habit contract in this chapter. It involves having others monitor your progress to break bad habits or establish good ones. A habit contract can be a strong motivation for adhering to or breaking a habit.

18. There’s a habit that’s perfect for me.

This doesn’t mean rejecting habits that don’t suit you. Rather, it means finding and creating situations where you can best display your aptitude.

For example, if you’re sociable and usually have a wide range of activities, it might not matter if the gym is a bit far. However, if you are a homebody, it would be better to choose a gym nearby or develop a home training habit for an exercise routine.

19. The Driving Force to Keep Going

Everything becomes boring. Habits are no different. As you continue to repeat a habit, there will inevitably come a moment when it becomes boring. The difference lies in being able to keep going even when things get boring. This is somewhat similar to the concept of grit. It means to persist even when things are tedious and difficult.

20. The Retaliation of Habits

In the final chapter, the author also warns about the potential harms that habits can bring. Habits, in a way, are automated, comfortable, and unconscious activities. However, this very nature of habits can cause us to overlook small mistakes. Therefore, the author recommends periodically checking ourselves through annual reviews and integrity reports. The items evaluated in the annual reviews and integrity reports are as follows:

Annual Review:

  • What went well this year
  • What didn’t go well this year
  • What I learned this year

Integrity Report:

  • What are the core values that drive my life and work?
  • How can I live and work in a way that is true to myself?
  • How can I reach higher standards in the future?

Habits are a powerful force, but as the author warns, they can sometimes lead to mistakes and stubbornness. Therefore, it is important to periodically reflect on ourselves and maintain a sense of balance.

I came across this book in the second half of 2019 and found it quite enjoyable to read. Although it seemed obvious, the well-organized and concrete methodology of habits made me think once again about why I couldn’t break bad habits and why I couldn’t establish good ones that I wanted to.

At first glance, it seemed like common sense, but it was the first time I had seen a book that systematically organized the mechanisms and methods of habits to this extent. Based on the contents of the book, I also tried to establish habits of writing one article a day, exercising once a day, and coding once a day, but I felt like I only succeeded about half the time.

Nevertheless, thanks to this book, I learned how to design my surroundings if I wanted to establish habits and what mindset I should have. Overall, I think it is a beneficial book.