How to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones | James Clear
The Knowledge Project
Patience, Phase Transitions, and Compound Progress
James uses the ice cube metaphor to explain invisible progress and persistence until tipping points.
James Clear is the author of Atomic Habits, a global bestseller that has shaped how millions of people think about habits, consistency, and long-term change.
In this conversation, James explains how habits shape identity, why progress often stays invisible before it compounds, and how to design your environment so good behavior becomes the default.
You will learn how to stay consistent when motivation fades, stop quitting too early, and build habits that work across different seasons of life.
-----
Approximate Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:56) The Role of Identity in Habit Formation
(03:38) Lack of Patience Changes the Outcome
(07:20) Seeing Invisible Progress
(09:58) Why Do We Change What's Working?
(13:46) Creating Conditions for Success
(17:44) Finding the Confidence to Start
(23:55) Playing to Win vs. Playing Not to Lose
(26:29) Internal Sayings to Live By
(30:36) Reputation
(34:32) Positioning in Business and Life
(44:36) Investment Philosophy
(47:18) Turning Reading Habits into Action
(50:31) Taking Notes While Reading...
(52:36) ...And Then What?
(56:06) Maintaining Focus on What You Want
(58:01) Lessons on Filtering Opportunities
(01:06:06) Longevity of Content
(01:07:21) Sequencing Through the Eras of Your Life
(01:11:22) What is a Habit?
(01:13:03) Is a Habit Working For You or Against You?
(01:15:20) Evaluation Framework for Habits
(01:18:32) Building or Replacing a Habit
(01:22:19) Social Media Detox
(01:25:34) The Most Important Upstream Habits to Create
(01:29:58) Relationship Check-In
(01:30:57) Thoughts on Popular Habits
(01:37:31) Become Stronger Than Your Feelings
(01:42:59) When Should You Deep Dive into an Idea
(01:48:12) Complexity vs. Simplicity
(01:54:40) Consistency vs. Intensity
(02:01:11) Learning New Subjects as an Adult
(02:06:40) Prioritization
(02:11:53) What is Success For You?
-----
Upgrade: Get a hand edited transcripts and ad free experiences along with my thoughts and reflections at the end of every conversation. Learn more @ fs.blog/membership
------
Newsletter: The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter
------
Follow Shane Parrish:X: https://x.com/shaneparrish
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/farnamstreet/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-parrish-050a2183/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The AI-powered Podcast Player
