Finding motivation and happiness in your daily systems ensures sustained effort and satisfaction beyond just achieving goals.

7. Enjoy the Journey

“The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.”

It’s not enough to say, “I’m a runner.” If you run two times a week, your actions prove that you truly are a runner. The best way to change who you are is to change what you do. Your actions give proof of who you are. For example, if you write two pages every day, you are a writer.

Actions Prove Your Identity

Success comes from consistent, small actions rather than sudden, large changes.

5. Consistency Over Time

Regular, small workouts might not show immediate results, but over months, they lead to noticeable fitness improvements.

12. Example of Fitness

If good habits are in conflict with your identity, you will fail to establish them.

Good Habits vs. Identity

1. Decide the Type of Person You Want to BeWhat do you want to stand for? What are your principles and values? Who do you wish to become? To figure out the answer, ask questions like, “Who is the type of person that could learn a new language?” The answer to such a question will define the identity you must have.2. Prove It to Yourself with Small WinsOnce you decide what identity you want to have, ask yourself what actions that type of person does. If you want to lose weight, ask, “What would a thinner person do?”

Action Plans: Change Your Identity to Change Your Habits

“If you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven times better by the time you’re done.”

<a href="https://elevatedpath.beehiiv.com/subscribe">The Art Of Habits</a> (it's free)( I've made "The Art Of Habits" is free, because I believe everyone deserves to have access to this system.)1. Small, Incremental ImprovementsImproving just 1% each day can lead to significant, exponential growth over time, resulting in being thirty-seven times better after one year.

The Surprising Power of Atomic Habits:

People often notice the breakthrough moment but overlook the consistent, small efforts that led to it.

8. Breakthroughs are Deceptive

<ol><li>Forget About Goals: Shift focus from achieving specific goals to creating and refining your daily systems.</li><li>Design Effective Systems: Create routines and processes that align with your desired outcomes and ensure they are motivating and enjoyable.</li><li>Trust the Process: Be patient and consistent, trusting that your efforts will lead to exponential growth over time.</li></ol>

Action Steps : Forget about goals, focus on the system instead

The impact of your habits is initially small but grows exponentially, highlighting the importance of persistence.

9. Exponential Progress

Progress is not linear but exponential, meaning the biggest results come after a longer period of consistent effort.

3. Exponential Growth

Designing an effective system and focusing on the process is more sustainable and rewarding than only aiming for specific goals.

10. System Over Goals

Laying one brick perfectly each day may not seem like much, but over time, it results in a strong, beautiful house.

13. Building a House

Initial progress from small habits may not be visible, but over time these small changes compound and create a powerful impact.

2. Invisible Beginnings

Believing in and sticking with your system is crucial, even when immediate results are not visible.

6. Trust the Process

Just like money grows exponentially with compound interest, small daily improvements lead to significant long-term growth.

11. Analogy of Compound Interest

Goals set direction, but the systems you implement are what drive long-term success.

4. Focus on Systems, Not Goals

<a href="https://elevatedpath.beehiiv.com/subscribe">The Art Of Habits</a> (it's free) ( I've made "The Art Of Habits" is free, because I believe everyone deserves to have access to this system.) You can change your outcomes or your processes; however, if you don’t change your identity, you will eventually come back to your old habits. For example, if you want to stop smoking, and you keep saying, “I’m trying to quit smoking,” it’s the outcome you are trying to change. Lasting change can only come through identity change. In this example, you must start saying, “I’m not a smoker.”

How Your Habits Shape Your Identity (and Vice Versa)

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 10 million copies sold! Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results. If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights. Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field. Learn how to: <ul><li>make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy);</li></ul><ul><li>overcome a lack of motivation and willpower;</li></ul><ul><li>design your environment to make success easier;</li></ul><ul><li>get back on track when you fall off course;</li></ul>...and much more. Atomic Habits will reshape the way you think about progress and success, and give you the tools and strategies you need to transform your habits--whether you are a team looking to win a championship, an organization hoping to redefine an industry, or simply an individual who wishes to quit smoking, lose weight, reduce stress, or achieve any other goal.

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James Clear is the author of "Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" He writes about habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement at jamesclear.com. His website receives millions of visitors each month and hundreds of thousands subscribe to his popular email newsletter.His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Time, and on CBS This Morning. He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work is used by teams in the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Learn more at jamesclear.com