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When the gifts are unwrapped, the food comas have warn off and the decorations have been packed away, Christmas is over and we roll straight into the New Year! With that comes reflecting on all of the joys, pains, successes and failures of the previous year. If you're like me, you may take a few moments to jot down goals and imagine what you want out of the months ahead.
Bur this year was different. Last year was hard and like so many of us surviving in the ever changing Covid-Culture, I was pressed to navigate my own hardships under the shadows of the nagging social climate. I learned so much about myself and had a few eye opening experiences that rattled my identity. This year needed to be different.
I had real goals and beyond that I needed real change. I did a quick google search a looked for books that successful people read. What do wealthy people read? Healthy and fit people? Entrepreneurs? People with successful marriages. Mothers who also have children with autism? I wanted to read the same books that inspired and challenged them.
On the top of the list was a book I had heard about several times but had never read.
Now, I just finished the book and is my life changed? Are my eyes opened and my habits improved forever? No. So if you are looking for a quick fix to forming new habits, revise your plan. There is a lot of work ahead.
HOWEVER, this book offers amazing tools to develop real change for the rest of your life. If you are willing to do the work and apply the strategies set out in this book, you can lay the foundation for amazing permanent change and personal growth. If you ever struggled with making it past the aura of the New Year and actually sticking to a goal, this book lays out why you are failing and what you can do to find real success by changing your habits.
Reason #1
The books main principle is forming 'atomic habits'. Making small changes that gradually impact your life in huge ways. James Clear speaks about high profile athletes and coaches, successful business men and women and other people who have been able to create drastic results by implementing small changes to their daily routines.
This is great news for the average Joe, like me. I am ambitious and have many things I want to do with my life but oftentimes I don't know where to start or how to stick with a goal. This book encourages me to start small and to make my goals EASY to attain. If you have ever made of list the top 5 goals or habits you wanted to create and then dove head first into all 5 and wondered why you failed at all 5 within the first month, you're my people... I tend to do that a lot.
But Clear encourages us to start with 1 thing. 1 goal you want to reach or 1 habit you want to change. Start with one and master it.
Reason #2
This book has 20 captivating and easy to read chapters filled with incredible information, stories, graphs and other visuals. I read a chapter or two each morning when drinking my coffee and was able to stay engaged with every page. The stories of people going from losing to not only winning but dominating their competition was intriguing. There is also a lot of practical life application that I found so relatable.
Along with the valuable information in each chapter also comes the tools and resources offered to you simply by purchasing the book. Scattered throughout the book are links to the authors website directing you to additional workbooks, graphs and stories. Every diagram shown in the book is offered as a print out. Also, at the very end of this book he offers ways to implement his strategies into your business, parenthood and more.
Reason #3
I loved this feature the most. At the end of every chapter, there is a bullet point recap of all the highlights of that chapter. I placed a sticky tab on these pages and every time I finished a chapter I went back to the beginning and reread every recap. It was a good way to retain some of the information and strategies that were being taught in the earlier chapters.
This book is packed with great information and unless you are taking notes there is no way to remember all of the great take-aways. Now that I have these pages tagged, any time I want a quick refresher or I want to reference this knowledge, I can revisit these recaps. Such a great feature!
Reason #4
One thing that destroys my ability to reach my goals is inconsistency. I feel like if I miss one day, then I have failed completely and I may as well quit... Reason #4 why this book is a must read is very simple but if you tend to ditch habits and give up on goals because of not being rigidly consistent, read this.
"You can miss once, but never twice."
I don't know why that is so simple, but there is so much to it. If life really does happen, the bad news, the good news, the friend in need, etc. When life happens, you can miss once. The failing is when you settle into a habit of letting your habits slide. That is when you fail. Success is when you jump right back in and don't make excuses. You keep your eyes on the prize and dig in deep.
Reason #5
The biggest impact this book had as an initial effect was that very quickly ties your habits to your identity. Habits are easier to maintain when they are tied to your core values and change will be seen when you start to step into who you really want to be.
For example, if I say I want to go to the gym 5 days a week, sure I can buy the membership, the gym bag and sign up for a few spin classes. I could even attend the gym faithfully for the first month, but if I don't see results in that first month, it is less likely that I will remain faithful to my gym commitment.
Instead, I will shift my focus and declare to myself that I am someone who cares very much about my health and fitness, causing it to become part of my identity. My desire for immediate results will fade and I will care more about how I feel after that workout and my health and fitness long term.
I will still buy the membership, outfits, classes, and also tell 2 people that I am setting fitness goals and would like accountability. Then when life gets in the way or I don't see or feel the immediate results or it begins to feel mundane, I will have a better system to keep my habits in place. Because now, I am someone who cares about fitness and goes to the gym. It's part of my identity.
Reason #6
If you look in the mirror and look yourself in the face and start holding that person accountable to your goals and habits, you can do anything. At the center of this book is this. "Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement. Getting 1% better every day counts for a lot in the long-run."
So start. Who do you want to be? Buying the book won't immediately change you. But it makes you closer than you were yesterday. Reading the book won't immediately change you. But you'll now have tools for change. Highlighting and taking notes, and beginning to implement strategy and printing out the graphs won't immediately change you. But if you buy the book, read the book, take the notes, implement the design, gain knowledge and begin to shift your identity, you will no doubt become the person you want to be! 1% improvement per day. You can do it.
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