Over a year ago, I read a fantastic book called “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I was determined to develop great habits and become incredibly efficient. However, my plans fell apart because I neglected the most important step after reading the book: practicing what I had learned.
It wasn’t all bad. I managed to reignite an old habit—reading books. Recently, I’ve also been able to maintain a reasonable workout routine, thanks to things I’ve learned from it. So it’s not fair to say I didn’t accomplish anything. But I believe there’s more I can achieve, so I’m giving this blog writing thing a shot as my new habit (which was in my “Habits I wanna have after reading Atomic Habits” list). For my first post series, I thought I’d summarize a book I absolutely loved. It’ll help me revisit it, and it’s a cool way to kick off my new writing habit. Who would’ve guessed that this book would be the subject of my first blog?
Chapter 1 emphasizes the importance of being consistent and falling in love with the process rather than just focusing on the end goal. Let me share an example from my life. Occasionally, I feel excited about creating an app. I dedicate a day or two to working on it, but then I never return to it again. Imagine if I committed to doing something every day, even for just a few minutes. I might end up with a partially functional app that no one uses, but it would still be interesting to discuss with others. In the best-case scenario, I could have sold it and earned a million dollars.My example may not be the best, but James Clear shares many compelling stories about individuals who achieved success through consistency. Habits function like compound interest for your personal growth. Good habits have a positive compounding effect, while bad habits do the opposite. Making even a small improvement each day can have a significant impact over time. It follows an exponential pattern.
You strongly have to keep in mind that THERE’S NO ONVERNIGHT SUCCESS. People often notice the result, but much precedes it. What seems like an overnight achievement is typically the result of consistently making small improvements each day, ultimately crossing a critical threshold. The best thing to do is to get off the couch and be 1% than you were yesterday. There’s no reason to wait until you hit your goals to be happy. You can enjoy the journey and feel good while you’re working toward what you want. Don’t hold back your happiness until the finish line—fall in love with the process instead!
I did it! I just wrapped up my very first blog post, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! 🎉 I’m officially 1% better than I was yesterday! Can’t wait to share the rest of the series with you all. Stay tuned for more excitement ahead!