Atomic Habits

By: James Clear

They say football is a game of inches, the same concept is true for changing or creating habits that last. A habit that makes only a one percent change is going to be more impactful and sustainable than habits designed to make huge changes. A performance (weight loss) goal of one percent improvement (losing one pound per week) is going to be more attainable than one that sets out to achieve greater improvement (lose 25 pounds). The habits formed around one percent improvements are easier to fit into our current lifestyle and require no drastic change and more likely to be sustained. A one percent change may seem insignificant but because the habit is mor likely to be sustained these results will compound and improvement will be continuous. When we try to make significant habit changes, they tend to be short lived because they are simply unsustainable, small habits tend to make a big difference. Our habits shape our identity so when we change our habits, we can start with how we perceive ourselves. You don’t start your wight loss journey thinking “I’m an average guy going to the gym to lose weight” instead change your mind set at the start “I’m an athlete going to the gym to make gains”. Our habits can shape our identity and our identity can shape our habits. If you believe you can, you will; if you don’t you will not. “You are not a Firefighter or Policeman managing an emergency you are an Emergency Manager”. This profession is not easy and can at times feel overwhelming but with good healthy automatic habits that do not require thought will keep us going and free up precious brain space, kind of like reflexive tasking in SAR events. I hope that all Emergency Managers make a habit of creating good habits and reducing bad ones.

Take Aways

In this book there are four steps (laws) to build or break habits.

Step 1 - Make it Obvious,

·       New habit development takes strategy, make a plan to use the new habit make it easier by paring it with an old habit “habit stacking”.

·       To break a habit, limit your exposure to it and mitigate the environmental triggers.

Step 2 – Make it Attractive,

·       Seek out a culture where your desired habit is the norm, surround yourself with people you want to be like.

·       To change a habit, focus on the benefits of breaking the bad habit.

Step 3 – Make it Easy.

·       Automate you habits, use your technology to remind you to do the new good habit, like your smart watch telling you to get moving.

·       Make bad habits inconvenient, reduce temptation.

Step 4 – Make it Satisfying.

·       Track your good habits and celebrate your “wins”, its ok to miss a good habit (not going to the gym) just don’t miss it twice.

·       Create consequences for bad habits, have an accountability partner and make bad habits cost you.