Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The story of James Clear is fascinating; a freak accident during a high school baseball game left him in a coma on life support. Miraculously, he survived, but was then faced with quality of life limitations. Motor skills had to be re-learned; the recovery road was very long. Knowing the odds were long, he committed to small improvements and structured routines to gain back some semblance of his life.

The steps to form habits and rebuild his physical strength were choices he made, one at a time, with the focus on small improvements. Over time, staying the course, these small improvements created a tidal wave of results. In reflecting on his journey, James identifies Four Laws of Behavior Change; 1) make it obvious; 2) make it attractive; 3) make it easy, and 4) make it satisfying.

What I appreciated the most out of the book is the section on the role talent and genetics play in our opportunities; he has a wonderful sports example. Then he talks about staying motivated, learning how to tolerate the boredom of ‘staying in shape’ in our area of discipline. An Excellent Book! – CMW