Reading a self-help book doesn’t hold any meaning until or unless you don’t apply it in real life.
Writing a review for Clear’s Atomic Habits is like pouring a drop in the ocean. It needs no introduction. The cover page declares; The International Bestseller and over one million copies have been sold, which in the era dominated by digital tech isn’t a small thing. The book introduces itself. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that every roadside vendor displays it in the front row. Still, let me pour this drop.
Title: Atomic Habits
Author: James Clear
Publisher: Penguin U.K. (2018)
Pages: 306 (270+36 notes)
Price: 149/- (Flipkart)
Genre: Self-help
This book travelled with me to several places, where I read some sections of it. One of the memorable experiences with this book is scrutinising the tips while peeking into my habits.
Atomic Habits is composed of eight sections, including an introduction and an appendix. The chapters extend to 8-10 pages with a summary at the end. There is a section consisting of an ‘Appendix’ that provides a useful conclusion at the end about how to apply the book. The chapters are also supplemented with footnotes to help understand a particular concept in a better way. The author refers to his website for clarification and extension regarding any concept mentioned in the chapter. One of the remarkable features of the book is that the author, Clear, introduces several illustrations, graphs, charts and tables to make his point, which enables us to reflect on it.
The book, although a guide to developing good habits and breaking bad ones, helps you understand yourself better. It revolves around the principle of CCRR, i.e. Cue, Craving, Response and Reward, where the first two, according to Clear, are the problem phase and the remaining two are the solutions. With a range of examples laid by psychologists, renowned practitioners, coupled with inspiring stories from athletes, businessmen, comedians and even the ordinary ones, the author suggests a solution to a series of problems we face in life. The choice of quotes is worth praising.
The interesting point is that most of them are synonymous with the problems we face today and can be mitigated if followed strictly. The central argument that runs throughout the book is to find ways to make good habits easy/attractive and the bad habits difficult. For instance, consider the usage of excessive screens. The unnecessary usage can be cut off by placing the phone in another room or asking your friends to keep it for you, or asking someone to change the password. I don’t agree with the latter, but the first one does work. Similarly, there are tips on reducing addiction. He also talks about penalties for not following the goal, which serves as an important reminder.
Though I found the content of the book somewhat repetitive, I would highly recommend this book to those who are struggling with their bad habits and want to cultivate good ones. The rules and regulations mentioned in the book are difficult to follow, but even if you follow 25 per cent of them, you’ll feel the difference. You can make the most of the book by reading a couple of chapters, followed by reflecting and implementing them in your life.
Eager to hear from you!
©Shashank
P.S. Thanks Shree and Anmol for gifting me this plant on my birthday.
Pragmatic's Personas 