Small Changes, Big Results: Atomic Habits Book Review

James Clear, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones (New York, NY: Avery Publishing, 2018).

Germs are contagious. A sick person sneezes without covering their mouth and these bad microorganisms enter your system. Next thing you know, you start feeling symptomatic. You think to yourself, “Thanks for sharing, buddy.”

For me, book recommendations are like germs. Someone can’t stop talking about a book they read, and I’m immediately inoculated with curiosity and an incessant need to read it. That’s how I came in contact with Jame Clear‘s Atomic Habits. A former professor of mine recommended it, and after reading the book, I can honestly say, “Thanks for sharing, buddy.”

Strategy and Structures Are Your Problem

Allow me to sneeze this book onto you (I promise that is my last sick joke). We all have goals in life. Every person has some form of ambition. Even those who are lazy desire to live a life of no work and consistent relaxation. The problem is not our goals or ambitions, but rather we lack an appropriate system to move the lever in those directions. We struggle to make them a reality. This is where Clear’s book enters the picture. He provides us with a four-part system or strategy so that we can accomplish our goals–what he calls habits.

You want to lose weight? You must create certain habits to accomplish who you want to be when it comes to your health. Want to write a book? You need habits. Want to do (fill in blank here)? You need to create small changes in your life that lead to your success. Atomic Habits helps you become the person you desire to be, and this work is for all ages.

Compound Habits

One of my favorite takeaways from this book is that small adjustments make a big difference. Good habits lead to positive outcomes while bad practices will lead to a detrimental end–ask any smoker or alcoholic. I have seen firsthand how small adjustments in my own implementation of Clear’s advice have made a positive difference in my goals. I finished drafting my second chapter of a book I’m writing in a week and a half. I read more pages by adjusting a few areas of my weekly plan. Yes, his work is anthropocentric, but believers can sift through those areas as they read because we can also apply his work to the Christian life.

Check Yourself Before Your Wreck Yourself

At a conference, another ministry leader noticed my self-discipline. I didn’t indulge on sweets. I kept track of my macros and calories. I hit my daily step goal. I’m disciplined, but also obsessed, which can be a bad thing and painful experience for my family and friends. I admit that I get upset when things intervene with my schedule and daily disciplines.

James Clear brought to my attention in Atomic Habits the need to examine my habits to ensure that they are helping me obtain my goals. Someone can be the most disciplined runner, but without evaluation how do they know that their strategy or structure is leading them to achieve their goals? They cannot unless they analyze themselves. This insight was eye opening because it means that we should maintain a posture of examination and adjustment to our habits so that we can meet our desired ends. I needed someone to speak this truth into my life as a man of discipline and goals, which added value to the book’s contents.

Highly Recommend

These are just a few out of many reasons I would highly recommend this book to you. It would be worth your time in reading because it can influence your life in both a positive and healthy direction. In addition, the Christian could use this book as a resource to help them build daily habits for their spiritual disciplines–i.e., Bible reading, prayer, meditation, etc. What are you waiting for? Go buy and read this book today (link below).

Don’t miss Jeremy’s next post. Enter your email below to have it delivered straight to your inbox: