Atomic Habits and Using Identities to Help Us With Our Habits
Jan 4, 2024
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Hari Prasada and Vipin discuss using identities to shape habits in a balanced way. They share personal stories on the power of aligning habits with true selves and avoiding ego-driven identities. The podcast delves into transitioning habits from moral to spiritual motivations, the influence of social circles, and the importance of authenticity in habit formation.
Adopting identities to reinforce positive habits, cautioning against excessive identification with temporary roles.
Leveraging social circles for habit reinforcement, emphasizing the transformative impact of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals.
Deep dives
Understanding Ego and Identity
Acknowledging the influence of ego and identity on our true selves, the podcast delves into the concept of using identities to form habits, a method emphasized in James Clear's 'Atomic Habits'. By adopting the identity of desired habits, such as quitting smoking or becoming a runner, individuals can foster behavior changes. However, it warns against over-identifying with these temporary identities, highlighting the importance of a conscious and balanced approach.
Navigating Identity Shifts
The conversation explores the delicate balance of adopting identities to instill positive habits while avoiding ego-driven validation. Personal experiences, such as transforming from being a writer to disassociating from the writer identity to counter ego entanglement, underscore the nuanced process of identity shifts. Encouragement is given to embrace aspects of oneself without over-identifying, fostering growth and self-awareness.
Temporal Identities and Habit Formation
The podcast discusses the temporality of identities and habits, encouraging a deeper understanding of motives behind habit building. Examples like cultivating patience as a self-aligned quality instead of a monitored identity and leveraging social environments for habit reinforcement are highlighted. The narrative emphasizes the significance of motive clarity and self-awareness in navigating habit formation.
Influence of Social Connections on Habits
Emphasizing the impact of social circles on habit formation, the podcast underscores the transformative power of association with like-minded individuals. The influence of company on habit evolution, both implicitly and explicitly, is recognized as a key element in shaping personal habits and character development. Foster deliberate and positive social connections to catalyze habitual and personal growth.
Atomic Habits has become one of the bibles of habit formation. One of the key ideas from that book is how to use an identity (e.g., I’m a runner) to positively influence our habits (i.e., to run consistently). However, at Upbuild, we talk a lot about how identities get in the way of being our best selves. In this episode, Michael, Hari Prasada, and Vipin explore how to reconcile these two ideas. While weaving in personal tales and anecdotes from their own lives, they discuss the potency of using identity to become the type of person we want to become, but address what we need to look out for so that we don’t overly identify with something that we are not.