James Clear’s work, entitled Atomic Habits, has received a lot of interest and has been nominated for best-selling books.
The author introduces the book himself with a very stunning introduction to the story.
Starting from something that was not expected, young James had an accident. He was unconscious, so that James had to be hospitalized.
The accident was caused by a friend who made a mistake playing baseball. When the bat slipped from his hand and hit James in the face. After arriving at the hospital, James received treatment. In short, James had an injury that prevented him from participating in baseball. After recovering from his injury, James began to train optimally to get into the core group at his high school. However, to no avail, James could not get into the core baseball group until high school.
James did not give up; continuous practice efforts were carried out as much as possible to become a habit.
It is evident from good habits that are continuously honed to lead James to success at his university.
Not a few achievements recorded James’s name at his university until James graduated. Thanks to better and relentless habits, anything is possible. James’s failures in high school did not diminish James’s success at university.
James exemplifies the tremendous power of the results of simple habits, namely that tiny changes make a big difference. Four simple steps lead to better practices and lead to significant changes. The four steps are to make it visible, make it enjoyable, make it easy, and make it satisfying. If you want the best results, then forget the goals you are aiming for, focus on the system.
Small habits will shape your identity and vice versa.
Why is it so easy to repeat bad habits and challenging to make good habits? Good habits last only a moment and do not last long.
There are two mistakes made when trying to get used to good habits, namely (1) trying to change something but the target is wrong, and (2) trying to change something but in the wrong way.
The first is: changing your results, changing your process, and changing your identity.
Changing identity is related to beliefs about how you view the world, self-image, and judgments about yourself and others. The result is what you strive for, the process is how you do it, and changing identity is what you believe in. You have new goals and objectives, but you don’t change who you are, so that’s wrong.
There are two processes in changing identity.
First: decide the type of person you want to be.
Second: Give yourself something with small victories.
The concept of identity-based habits becomes habit-forming into new identities. Your habits are formed in the systems of your life. Any habit can be broken down into feedback.
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Described by four rules: cue, arousal, response, and reward.
Four rules of behavior change to make habits better are making them visible, making them attractive, making them accessible, and making them successful.
#Rule No 1
The first rule, there is a visible figure in him. Aware of thinking automatically about every situation that occurs. Such as blood pumping, the lungs as a place to breathe, your stomach digests, or your hair grows.
Where there is no awareness of acting but automatically without us asking.
Suppose the awareness of our brain works like the event earlier, automatically. In that case, the attention to think will appear in the activities of any most minor thing.
Need to get used to the things that form identity leading to better behavior. Once awareness is automatic, we don’t need to pay attention to small circumstances. Awareness scorecards are a simple exercise to become more aware of your values.
#Rule No 2
The second rule makes it interesting. If you want to increase the chances of success, then make it something interesting.
To begin with, we must do and understand what passion is and how it works.
The more attractive an opportunity, the greater the chance that the habit will be embedded in the soul. With the temptation of this strategy, pair your action with the action you need.
The culture of the place we live in will significantly influence the interesting behaviors for us to do or imitate.
We tend to adopt a culture praised and accepted by the group we live in.
One effective way to do interesting things is (1) assume normal and (2) have the same thing. If a behavior is praised, respected, appreciated, it can be called attractive.
There are several ways to eliminate bad habits, reduce exposure, and eliminate clues to bad habits.
Makes it less attractive. Make this habit a disappointment. Build a mindset by weighing the benefits aspects over bad habits. Create a motivational ritual or do something before doing something difficult.
#Rule No 3
The third rule, Make it easy. Slowly move forward, but never back down.
If you want to make a habit, the key is repetition, not perfection.
What needs to be done is to apply it.
According to the third rule, to make a habit, you need to practice it, which is to do it quickly. Focus on action, not in mention. The main idea is to make the environment as easy as possible.
Human behavior follows the law of minimal effort, following doing a job that expends a little energy.
Reduce the barriers associated with good behavior when the walls are more diminutive. Habits are getting easier.
Prepare your environment to be comfortable so that the following action will make it a habit.
#Rule No 4
The Fourth Rule makes it satisfying. We are more likely to do something habitual repeat when enjoyable.
Our brains are programmed rewards over delayed rewards directly. The highest rule in making changes is that those who get immediate rewards, that is, good things tend to be done, and when they get bad tips, they tend to be left behind.
For a habit to stick, you need to experience immediate success, even if it is small.
The first three rules to change bad habits are making them attractive and making it easy to increase the chances that behavior will be carried out. The fourth commandment, making it satisfying, will be something to be repeated in the future.
Conclusion
One of the satisfying feelings is when we are progressing. Habit monitoring is a process of behavior development to determine the size of the progress of good behavior. Don’t break the chain. Try to keep good habits going. Never be absent in a different direction. If you are missing, return to the good path as soon as possible.
Happiness arises when the desire has started to disappear. When you get a clue and not doing it, you are satisfied with the situation.
Happiness is not about getting pleasure but about having the desire to change towards progress.
Caed Budiris said, “happiness is the space of one desire being satisfied and a new desire being formed.”
Likewise, suffering is a space of passion for changing circumstances and when that change can be achieved.
We all deal with setbacks. You must be asking what about luck. Luck is necessary but not the only path to success.
But the most crucial factor lies in your self-control. The only self-success is to focus on a sensible self-development strategy that you can do.