James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, discusses his challenges with habits, common pitfalls, and how to set yourself up for success. He shares the four things you need to create a new habit and how it applies to strength athletes. They also explore the power of habits in shaping our identity and the importance of embracing discomfort.
Focusing on identity-based habits allows us to embody the person we want to become.
Starting small and making habits easy contributes to consistency and confidence.
Choosing empowering stories and reframing beliefs can shape our habits and mindset.
Deep dives
Building Habits to Shape Your Identity
James Clear discusses the power of habits in shaping our identities and becoming the person we aspire to be. He emphasizes that every action we take is like a vote for the type of person we want to become. By focusing on identity-based habits rather than outcome-based habits, we can embody the characteristics and behaviors of the person we want to be. Clear emphasizes the importance of small actions, acknowledging that they may not lead to immediate transformation, but they contribute to building evidence and belief in our new identity.
The Importance of Starting Small and Making Habits Easy
Clear highlights the significance of starting small and making habits easy. He discusses the value of treading water on tough days, highlighting that maintaining progress is crucial, even if it means scaling back on certain habits. Clear emphasizes that victories and growth occur on the hard days, which is when the separation between average and exceptional performers becomes apparent. By focusing on the next step and making habits as easy as possible, individuals can maintain consistency and build confidence in themselves, ultimately reinforcing the person they want to become.
Choosing Stories and Reframing Beliefs
Clear delves into the importance of choosing empowering stories and reframing beliefs. He discusses how our habits are a reflection of the stories we tell ourselves and the narratives we believe about our identities. Clear suggests emphasizing the aspects of our lives that serve us and empower us instead of dwelling on disempowering beliefs. He highlights the significance of gaining perspective, acknowledging that there is always someone in a more challenging situation and that gratitude can help reframe our mindset.
The Power of Behavior-Driven Change
Clear emphasizes the power of behavior-driven change by focusing on small and incremental actions. He discusses the laws of behavior change, such as making habits obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying. Clear encourages individuals to focus on the process rather than the outcome, highlighting that greatness is achieved on the hard days. By redefining our behaviors and adopting habits that align with the desired identity, we can cast votes for the person we want to become.
Identity-Based Habits and Shifting Mindsets
Clear discusses the significance of identity-based habits and the impact of shifting our mindsets. He provides examples such as quitting smoking or reframing alcohol consumption to reinforce the identity we aspire to. Clear encourages individuals to embody the characteristics and habits of the person they want to become, emphasizing that these shifts can lead to profound changes in behavior. By reframing the way we think and associating ourselves with empowering identities, habits become natural expressions of who we are rather than burdensome tasks.
Joining the show today is James Clear, author of Atomic Habits. In this conversation, James shares about his relationship and challenges with habits in his life, why he chose to write about habits, the common pitfalls people run into when building habits and how to set yourself up for success.
We also get into the four things you need to create a new habit and how all of this applies to strength athletes and competitions.
