Preeta Chag

Publisher: Penguin Random House

A small change. A big difference.

Atomic Habits dwells on a premise: the smallest of a positive habit will create a profound, positive long-term effect.

Let me confess by saying, that I do not usually read self-help or self-improvement books. But this book came highly recommended and as a gift to me.

And it did not disappoint. In fact, it was a pleasure read for me.

The book is simple and non-preachy.  James Clear has taken on a simple fundamental to create a winner book. Easy to follow and interspersed with examples, the book sets out to illuminate the power of cultivating a good habit to bring about a positive big difference in your life.

He sets out to explain how to create good habits. Not an easy task, when you are trying a change which is not so easy (such as weight loss, boosting team morale, reading books). James Clear has presented a simple formula in neat steps for incorporating the change. Habit stacking, environmental cues, making the habit attractive are what he talks of when teaching us habit formulation.

Actually,  the book has not thrown up anything novel. But it has very ingenuously used something very known and basic and created a story around it to emphasize the goodness and effectiveness of those ideas.

What the book highlights and reinforces is:  Never give up on a small habit thinking that it will not bring about any change. In fact, the compound value of following the habit diligently and relentlessly is the secret behind the monumental positive change.

As James Clear writes, “The only way to become excellent is to be endlessly fascinated by doing the same thing over and over. You have to fall in love with boredom.”