(AI-generated image of a man thinking at an atomic level by DALL-E)

When I told friends I was moving to Chicago from Boston almost 2 decades ago, one said to me he was surprised; he saw me as a “Boston guy” and thought I would never leave. We talked about this over adult beverages, and I told him that it was a decision my wife and I made, and it came rather naturally and where we knew there would be a lot of logistics, we were eager to welcome this change in our lives.

That’s the funny thing about change – sometimes it’s easy, and many times it’s hard. Even when you know you have to make a change, that in itself may not be enough for some people. This thought process and changes in habits is what the book Atomic Habits by James Clear is all about.

Atomic Habits centers around 4 “laws” – evidence-based approaches in how to not just overcome but make lasting change, with reinforcements and stories to support them. I won’t go into detail on what those laws are, rather I will simply share my greatest takeaways from the book. If you are interested in detailed synopsis of the book, you can read it here on James Clear’s own Web site.

And those takeaways are...

Goals vs. Systems that lead you to said goals – The concept of goals in themselves have been getting a lot of scrutiny in both books and podcasts I have consumed, and I believe it’s with good reason. Many times goals are unrealistic or are structured to not account for change or outside influences. If you have a goal without the “system” that’s needed to meet it, there’s a likelihood it may never happen. Elements of said system are outlined in the books, and can range from the space or support needed to achieve it.

Add friction – When I read this, the first thing I thought of was how I don’t have the LinkedIn mobile app on my phone. Why? As it’s my last bastion of legacy social media, I don’t want to go to it constantly when I have a few minutes or need a diversion and get into an endless scroll. I can access it with a mobile Web browser, but the user experience is so horrible that when I do it, I don’t spend a lot of time on it. That friction is enough to help to stop wasting my time.

... With a little help from my friends – This reminded me of efforts in the past where I was involved in networking groups that helped keep progress to setting and making goals. Networking over the years like Circle of Progress and Business Forward were helpful. I also recalled when I was doing these and a colleague coined a phrase “accountabilibuddy” – though tongue-in-cheek, having someone who helps keeps someone else accountable can be the difference maker.

Orosensation – I always strive to find new words (to me) in books, and orosensation was one here, which means how something feels in your mouth.

Stronger Together – I read this book with another work colleague as part of a book club. I had put the idea out there to my team and though he was the only to respond, it was the others on my team who were at a loss as they missed an opportunity to collaborate on this book. It was a worthwhile experience, and gained a lot of insight on parts of the book that as seen through others. Thanks Kenny!

Since it came out in 2018, Atomic Habits has been a personal and business best-seller that I have heard many people talk about and have often seen it in prominent displays at bookstores and airports. After reading it, I know why. It is easy to read and relate to, and I recommend it anyone who is looking to make some change in their lives and it just isn’t sticking with them. The giveaway of this book is (I hope) serendipitous, as I left it in the seatback pocket on a recent plane ride. I hope someone came across it before the plane was cleaned (do they even clean planes that detailed these days?) and perhaps it can help make a difference in their life.

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This is from The Hot Iron, a journal on business and technology by Mike Maddaloni.

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